An Unbreakable Bond Grows
by Chickie.Babe1
Summary: 3rd in the Series - Going into her third year of Hogwarts, Alicia Evans prepares to deal with an overload of work, taking too many classes then she can probably handle. Add in dementors, werewolves, time-travel and stories and relics from the past and the year begins to get interesting. The last thing she needs is a killer on the loose, who happens to be more than just a murderer.
1. Chapter 1

**Here is the third in the series. I will post the fourth when I have finished the fifth, which I don't think will be too long as I believe the fourth will be the hardest of them all, as it's literally all about Harry, hard to interpretation without adding my OC into the tournament as well, which I wasn't okay with.**

 **Anyway, I'm on holidays now so it shouldn't be too long but I also want to add so some of my other stories as well, get some more sequels up.**

 **Let me know if you find any spelling mistakes so I can fix them.**

 **Hope you like it :)**

* * *

Chapter 1:

Alicia stopped as she stood on a step and it creaked under her weight. She bit her lip and listened carefully, one of her hands clutching a parcel, the other a rope over her shoulder. After assuring herself no one had heard her, she moved her weight from the step and proceeded to the next one, skipping the creaky stair.

Alicia proceeded to the front door, which, after taking a look around the landing, she slowly unlocked, preventing the locks from clicking when she released them, stopping any noise. She closed the door, stood still for a second listening before grinning in success.

Alicia turned without a backwards glance and ran down the road. She checked her wrist where a watch sat and frowned, she was already late thanks to Ms Bane, the caretaker, staying up later then expected.

Alicia Evans lived in an orphanage, and had done her entire life. Her parents had died when she was just a year old. But it was how they died that was the interesting story. Lily and James Potter were killed, murdered, by a man who's name is feared by many.

Alicia Evans belonged to a world hidden to anyone who wasn't a part of it. Alicia was a witch. Two years ago, before her eleventh birthday a man had come and handed her a letter to his school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The man himself was Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster.

It was at Hogwarts that Alicia learned her heritage and that she wasn't alone. She had a secret family member.

Alicia stopped outside a house grinning, panting slightly from having run all the way. Quietly, she climbed the fence to the backyard, a little difficultly thanks to the package in one hand, before moving around to the back garden.

Alicia listened carefully to what was going on inside, it was utter silence within the house broken only by the distant grunting snores. She noticed a suddenly flash of light from the room above her, the window was open which was perfect. Alicia grinned before she grabbed a reasonably sized rock from the garden, slipped it into the loop in the end of her rope and looked back to the window.

As if practiced a boy appeared there, leaning on the window sill. He had jet black hair like Alicia, though it was stubbornly untidy as usual, and the same bright green eyes as her also. He wore round glasses and though you couldn't tell from outside, he was rather small and skinny.

Harry Potter. Alicia's twin brother, though only a certain few knew they were related. He was famous throughout the entire wizarding world because of a lightning shaped scar over his forehead. He had received it when the feared dark wizard of the time, Voldemort, tried to kill him and in turn, killed their parents.

Both Harry and Alicia had survived.

As a result, Voldemort was left to something less than human. Alicia and Harry had faced him twice now, both in different scenarios.

Harry looked out the window for a second before he spotted Alicia. She grinned, glanced at another window before whisper shouting.

"Happy Birthday Harry!" Harry grinned down at her

"Happy Birthday Alicia." he said quietly. Alicia held up the rock, the rope tied to it.

"Catch?" she asked. Harry nodded and glanced into the room before Alicia aimed and threw the rock. Luckily for them, Harry caught it silently. Alicia grinned as Harry disappeared into the room and when he reappeared, he nodded.

Alicia climbed the rope and climbed into the room through the window. The first thing she did was hug Harry.

"What are you doing here?" he wondered, though he was still grinning

"Yeah right. We're thirteen! Teenagers! No way would I wait till morning." Alicia rolled her eyes like that was expected. "I know you stay up late studying and I would have been here sooner, but, Ms Bane decided to stay up late." Alicia sighed. She then grinned again and held up a present.

"Got you this." she smiled. Harry looked at her guiltily "Don't look at me like that, I know you don't have access to money and you can't use Hedwig for mail." Alicia knew Harry didn't have money.

The people Harry lived with were his aunt and uncle, and they were muggles — non magic folk. Aunt Petunia was Lily Potter's sister. Alicia had been separated from him, and them, after the accident for safety. The Dursleys didn't like abnormality. They didn't like what the Potters were and they didn't like what Harry was. For this, they treated him like rubbish. For eleven years they tried to beat the magic out of Harry, refusing to allow him to be like his family, they even told him his parents had been killed in a car accident.

Harry hesitantly took the parcel from Alicia and sat on his bed, Alicia sitting next to him, grinning. He unwrapped the brown package to find a set of clothes, as Harry had to wear his cousin Dudley's things which were all ten sizes to big for him, a newspaper and a box of chocolate frogs.

"You shouldn't have." Harry muttered. Alicia shrugged

"I mixed it up, some muggle things, some wizard things, of which I ordered with Noel." Noel was Alicia's black owl, Harry had an owl also, but snowy white. Hedwig.

"Speaking of owls," Alicia noticed the bird cage was empty "Where's Hedwig?"

"Don't know."

"How long's she been gone for?"

"Two nights." Harry looked at Alicia who glanced at the window "She's been gone this long before." Harry assured. Alicia nodded

"I think Noel's gone to find Hermione." Alicia rolled her eyes.

Hermione Granger was one of Alicia and Harry's best friends, along with Ronald Weasley. Like Harry and Alicia, Hermione grew up with muggles, both her parents being so. Ron on the other hand was from a wizarding family, both his parents, his five brothers and his sister were all wizards, everyone but apparently a distant cousin on his mother's side, who, as Alicia remembered Ron saying, they didn't talk to. Ron, his sister Ginny and three brothers were all at Hogwarts with Alicia and Harry.

Harry looked confused at Alicia.

"Hermione's gone away." Alicia admitted "Sent me an owl just before she left… didn't I show you?" Harry shook his head and Alicia looked annoyed with herself.

"I was supposed to let you read it, it was addressed to you too." Alicia grumbled

"That's alright." Harry shrugged. Unlike last year, when a house elf named Dobby was intercepting them, letters did reach Harry and Hermione and Ron had sent a few but, just like last year, the Dursleys didn't want Harry sending or receiving letters from anyone. Not even if it was sent by muggle mail with the postman.

"What's this?" Harry asked holding up the newspaper.

"It's the _Daily Prophet_." Alicia grinned "Wizard newspaper. Don't let the Dursleys see it they'll tare it up." Alicia whispered, glancing at the door. Harry unfolded it to see the front cover's black and white picture was moving, as all pictures did in the wizarding world.

"This way you wont feel so disconnected, keep in on what's been going on. I've been having it delivered, per Hermione's suggestion, and decided you should get a few too. So here's this weeks." Alicia grinned

"How much is that?" Harry asked

"Couple of knuts." Alicia shrugged. Harry looked at the front cover, reading it as Alicia stood up and walked over to the window, glancing out for any signs of an owl.

"Hey… Harry…" Alicia began. Harry put the newspaper down and joined her beside the window. "See that?" she asked confused.

Silhouetted against the golden moon, and growing larger every moment, was a large, strangely lopsided creature, and it was flapping in the two's direction. Alicia looked at Harry confused as they stood quite still, watching it sink lower and lower. Harry slowly moved his hand and put it on the window latch, ready to slam it shut. Alicia however grabbed his arm as the bizarre creature soared over one of the street lamps of Privet Drive. Alicia pulled Harry to the side and out of the way.

Through the window soared four owls, two of them holding up the third, which appeared to be unconscious, the fourth leading the way. They landed with a soft _flump_ on Harry's bed, and the middle owl, which was large and grey, keeled right over and lay motionless. There were two large packages tied to its legs.

"Oh god…" Alicia muttered as she recognised the owl. It was hard not to. His name was Errol, and he belonged to the Weasley family. "Ron should know better. Sending Errol on such a trip." Alicia waved her arms with a roll of her eyes as Harry dashed to the bed. He untied the cords around Errol's legs, took off the parcels, and then carried Errol to Hedwig's cage. Errol opened one bleary eye, gave a feeble hoot of thanks, and began to gulp some water.

The three owls left stood waiting, two were recognisable. The large snowy owl was Harry's own Hedwig, the large black was Alicia's Noel. They two were carrying parcels, Hedwig looked very pleased with herself and Noel looked at Alicia expectantly, waiting to be congratulated almost.

"Alright, let me see." Alicia smiled as she moved to Noel and took the package, she immediately noticed Hermione's neat handwriting on the parcel. Noel nipped her ear as Hedwig did the same to Harry as he removed her burden, then both flew across the room to join Errol. Alicia was surprised they fit in the cage.

Neither of them recognised the third owl.

"Now who else would send us a package on our birthday?" Alicia asked, fake curiosity on her face. Harry however didn't seem to understand. "It's a Hogwarts owl Harry. Hagrid."

Rubeus Hagrid was the Hogwarts game keeper. He was the one who had told Harry he was a wizard and about Harry's parents. He was also the one who took both Harry and Alicia around Diagon Alley, a hidden alley full of wizard shops, to buy their very first school supplies.

Harry looked back at the scrawny owl and noticed the letters it had, two of them, each bearing the Hogwarts crest.

When Harry relieved this owl of its burden, it ruffled its feathers importantly, stretched its wings, and took off through the window into the night.

"I'm glad I decided to come now." Alicia grinned as she sat on the bed and picked up the package from Ron with her name on it. Harry sat next to her and did the same. He ripped off the brown paper, and discovered a present wrapped in gold, and his first ever birthday card. Fingers trembling slightly, he opened the envelope. Two pieces of paper fell out — a letter and a newspaper clipping.

The clipping had come out of the _Daily Prophet_. Harry picked up the clipping, smoothed it out, Alicia leaning over his shoulder as he read. She grinned, having already seen the clipping a week ago.

 _MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE_

 _Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw._

 _A delighted Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank."_

 _The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend._

"Personally I think they deserve it." Alicia grinned as she looked at the moving photo. All nine of the Weasleys were waving furiously at them, standing in front of a large pyramid. Plump little Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr. Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat, Scabbers, on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny.

Alicia opened her present from Ron to find a book.

"Ron sent me a book…" she said surprised, that was something Hermione was more expected to do. Harry looked surprised also.

" _Ancient History of Egypt._ " Alicia read. "Oh." She smiled, finding it less surprising now.

 _Dear Alicia,_

 _Did you see the article? Isn't it awesome! I couldn't believe it when Dad won the draw! Seven hundred galleons! Most of it's gone on this trip, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year._

 _Alicia chuckled, Ron's wand had broken at the beginning of last year when the car she, Ron and Harry had traveled to Hogwarts in had hit a tree. All because they were locked out of Platform Nine and Three Quarters by Dobby the house elf._

 _Is Harry alright? After my phone call? Did he tell you about that? I hope he is… dad said I shouldn't have shouted…_

Alicia laughed, she remembered very clearly the phone call, she'd luckily been standing right in the doorway that morning when it happened.

Most unluckily it had been Uncle Vernon who had answered the call.

"Vernon Dursley speaking."

Harry had frozen and Alicia had stopped as Petunia stood at the door before her.

"HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I — WANT — TO — TALK — TO — HARRY — POTTER!"

Ron was yelling so loudly that Uncle Vernon jumped and held the receiver a foot away from his ear, staring at it with an expression of mingled fury and alarm.

"WHO IS THIS?" he roared in the direction of the mouthpiece. "WHO ARE YOU?"

Alicia was laughing her head off, to who Petunia had pursed her lips and looked both annoyed and worried at the same time, her eyes darting between Alicia, Harry and her husband with the phone.

"RON — WEASLEY!" Ron bellowed back, as though he and Uncle Vernon were speaking from opposite ends of a football field. "I'M — A — FRIEND — OF — HARRY'S — FROM — SCHOOL —"

Uncle Vernon's small eyes swivelled around to Harry, who was rooted to the spot.

"THERE IS NO HARRY POTTER HERE!" he roared, now holding the receiver at arm's length, as though frightened it might explode. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT SCHOOL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN! DON'T YOU COME NEAR MY FAMILY!"

And he threw the receiver back onto the telephone as if dropping a poisonous spider.

The fight that had followed had been one of the worst ever.

"HOW DARE YOU GIVE THIS NUMBER TO PEOPLE LIKE — PEOPLE LIKE _YOU_!" Uncle Vernon had roared, spraying Harry with spit.

"How do you know I didn't give them the number?" Alicia asked, the Dursleys didn't know Alicia was family and were reluctant to treat her like they did Harry. Petunia always looked at her the same as Alicia was the splitting image of her mother, only with black hair. The Dursleys also didn't know about Alicia's family, they were probably scared she tell her magic parents about them.

The Dursleys had all shared a worried look but no one had answered as Harry got up and left, dragging Alicia as far from the house has possible.

 _Anyway, we'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you and Harry there?_

 _Ron._

 _PS. Percy's Head Boy. He got the Letter last week._

Alicia turned to look at the picture about the same time Harry did, Percy, who was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, was looking particularly smug. He had pinned his Head Boy badge to the fez perched jauntily on top of his neat hair, his horn-rimmed glasses flashing in the Egyptian sun.

"We're never going to hear the end of this, it'll be worse then when he was a prefect." Alicia sighed, Percy loved to brag, he loved to be important and have power over others. Apparently he wanted to be Minister of Magic.

"What did you get?" Alicia asked as she turned to Harry.

Harry turned to his present and unwrapped it. Inside was what looked like a miniature glass spinning top. There was another note from Ron beneath it.

 _Harry — this is a Pocket Sneakoscope. If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's supposed to light up and spin. Bill says it's rubbish sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable, because it kept lighting up at dinner last night. But he didn't realise Fred and George had put beetles in his soup._

 _Bye —_

 _Ron._

Alicia chuckled. Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George Weasley were the Hogwarts pranksters. No one got into more trouble then them and no one knew the secret passageways of the castle better then them. Including the mean caretaker Argus Filch.

Harry put the Pocket Sneakoscope on his bedside table, where it stood quite still, balanced on its point, reflecting the luminous hands of his clock.

"With Voldemort turning up twice now, it might be handy." Alicia smiled in admittance. Harry looked at her and nodded.

Alicia picked up Hermione's package which Noel had brought. She was not surprised that this was a book also. Alicia enjoyed reading, its what allowed her to compete with Hermione in school, both were rivals for being the brightest witches of their year level, only Hermione was better with words and facts while Alicia was better with spells. Of course she had a slight photographic memory that helped remember all the spells.

This book however was from France, Alicia opened it to find all the french words turn to english. It was on France wizardry, past and present. With it was another book on charms and wizard key chain of the Eiffel tower. When Alicia looked closely, she found there were people on top waving at her. She grinned.

Harry was reading card from Hermione and Alicia leaned over to peak.

 _Dear Harry,  
_

 _Ron wrote to me and told me about his phone call to your Uncle Vernon. I do hope you're all right.  
_

 _I'm on holiday in France at the moment and I didn't know how I was going to send this to you — what if they'd opened it at customs? — but then Hedwig and Noel turned up! I think she wanted to make sure you got something for your birthday for a change. I bought your present by owl-order; there was an advertisement in the Daily Prophet (I've been getting it delivered; it's so good to keep up with what's going on in the wizarding world)._

"Told you." Alicia said

 _Did you see that picture of Ron and his family a week ago? I bet he's learning loads. I'm really jealous — the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating._

 _There's some interesting local history of witchcraft here, too. I've rewritten my whole History of Magic essay to include some of the things I've found out. I hope it's not too long — it's two rolls of parchment more than Professor Binns asked for._

 _Ron says he's going to be in London in the last week of the holidays. Can you make it? Will your aunt and uncle let you come? I really hope you can. If not, I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express on September first!_

 _Love from Hermione._

 _PS. Ron says Percy's Head Boy. I'll bet Percy's really pleased. Ron doesn't seem too happy about it._

Alicia turned to her letter.

 _Hey Alicia,_

 _Thanks for sending Noel! I knew telling you about my holiday was a good idea, I wasn't sure about customs and I didn't want to wait a month till we were on our way to school._

 _It was a surprise when both she and Hedwig turned up, especially Hedwig as I haven't seen her all summer. They seemed to arrive right on time too… did you get the presents in time?_

 _I hope you like the book, I thought a little history could brighten your day, help with Professor Binns essay, I rewrote mine… it's two pieces of parchment more then he asked._

 _The key chain was just a little fun, I thought the wizard tools were better than the muggles and I know you love your charms, they've got some interesting ones here, but be careful, you need to pronounce them right. French words will end badly is you're not careful, like Buffalo remember from Flitwick's class in first year._

 _I hope you and Harry can come to London a week before we return, I know you can but can Harry? I'd like to see him beforehand. Ron's going did he tell you? Did you see him in the Daily Prophet? Are you still getting it? I'm so jealous, Egypt is full of fascinating information!_

 _Anyway, I hope to see you in London! I have heaps to tell you about what I've learnt here!_

 _Love From Hermione._

 _PS. Did you hear about Percy? I bet he's proud, Ron isn't._

"Typical Hermione." Alicia smiled as both letters were similar. Of course Hermione had less to tell Alicia then she did Harry.

Harry laughed as he put Hermione's letter aside and picked up her present. It was very heavy. Knowing Hermione, you would think it'd be a large book full of very difficult spells — but it wasn't. Harry ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, reading _Broomstick Servicing Kit._

"Wow, Hermione!" Harry whispered, unzipping the case to look inside.

"Aww! Jealous!" Alicia said as she eyed the kit.

There was a large jar of Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a pair of gleaming silver Tail-Twig Clippers, a tiny brass compass to clip on your broom for long journeys, and a _Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare._

 _"_ Think I can borrow it?" Alicia asked smiling innocently. Alicia loved her broom and more then all she loved what she used it for. Wizard sport, Quidditch. Highly dangerous, very exciting, and played on broomsticks. Both Harry and Alicia were naturally gifted at the sport, their father having been a Chaser when he was at Hogwarts. Both twins were on the Gryffindor team, Harry as the Seeker, Alicia as a Chaser. Harry loved his broom just as much as Alicia, while he had a Nimbus two-thousand, Alicia had a Firebolt, the fastest broom in the world so far.

The last presents were from Hagrid, Harry put the leather case aside and picked up his first. He tore off the top layer of paper and glimpsed something green and leathery, but before he could unwrap it properly, the parcel gave a strange quiver, and whatever was inside it snapped loudly — as though it had jaws.

Alicia leaned away from Harry suddenly and she and him shared a look. They both knew that Hagrid would never send them anything dangerous on purpose, but then, Hagrid didn't have a normal person's view of what was dangerous. Hagrid had been known to befriend giant spiders, buy vicious, three-headed dogs from men in pubs, and sneak illegal dragon eggs into his cabin.

Harry poked the parcel nervously. It snapped loudly again. Harry reached for the lamp on his bedside table, gripped it firmly in one hand, and raised it over his head, ready to strike while Alicia stood up and moved away slightly. Harry seized the rest of the wrapping paper in his other hand and pulled.

And out fell — a book. Alicia just registered its handsome green cover, emblazoned with the golden title _The Monster Book of Monsters,_ before it flipped onto its edge and scuttled side-ways along the bed like some weird crab.

"Uh-oh," Harry muttered.

The book toppled off the bed with a loud clunk and shuffled rapidly across the room. Alicia and Harry both paused for a minute, listening for the Dursleys before Harry, after hearing nothing from the sleeping family, followed the book stealthily.

"I shouldn't be at all surprised Hagrid would send us a biting book but really?" Alicia asked, she returned to her parcel and poked it, only to have it move too. Alicia drew back biting her lip as she watched Harry. The book was hiding in the dark space under his desk. Harry got down on his hands and knees and reached toward it.

"Don't —"

"Ouch!" Harry hadn't listened. The book snapped shut on his hand and then flapped past him, still scuttling on its covers.

"Biting, book." Alicia said slowly, Harry sent her a look before he scrambled around, threw himself forward, and managed to flatten the book. Uncle Vernon gave a loud, sleepy grunt in the room next door.

Noel, Hedwig and Errol watched interestedly as Harry clamped the struggling book tightly in his arms.

"Alicia, belt." Harry muttered. Alicia hurried to the chest of drawers, and pulled out a belt quickly before giving it to Harry, who buckled it tightly around the book. The _Monster Book_ shuddered angrily, but could no longer flap and snap.

"I think I'll open mine back in my room… So I can tie it up with something too." Alicia decided, poking it again. Harry nodded in agreement, throwing his down on the bed and reaching for Hagrid's card.

 _Dear Harry,  
_

 _Happy birthday!  
_

 _Think you might find this useful for next year. Won't say no more here. Tell you when I see you. Hope the Muggles are treating you right.  
_

 _All the best,  
_

 _Hagrid_

"How is a biting book useful?" Harry asked

"It's Hagrid, when is a monster book not useful?" Alicia wondered crossing her arms

"Yeah but that's for him."

"Come on Harry, 'seriously misunderstood creatures'." she quoted. Harry sighed and nodded. He reached for the Hogwarts letters first before handing her one.

"Yours is here too." Alicia grinned

"I love how Dumbledore does that." Last year he'd sent both Harry and Alicia's letters to the Burrow, Ron's house, as they'd gone there for the last month of holidays and the year before Dumbledore had followed Harry around with cards as the Dursleys tried to hide from them.

Alicia opened her letter to find three pieces of parchment inside, the book list, the letter and a form.

 _Dear Miss Evans,  
_

 _Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock._

 _Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign._

 _A list of books for next year is enclosed. Yours sincerely,_

 _Minerva McGonagall_

 _Deputy Headmistress_

"We get to go to Hogsmeade!" Alicia grinned excitedly. Hogsmeade was the wizard village just outside of Hogwarts, the closest town the giant castle was too. Alicia had never been to a wizard village before. She pulled out the Hogsmeade form before thinking of something and looking to Harry worried.

"How are you going to get the Dursleys to sign?" Alicia mumbled. Harry sighed and shook his head "Maybe Ms Bane could sign it, I'm sure Dumbledore would allow it, I mean he could had of easily have put you with the orphanage instead." she admitted. Harry looked at her

"McGonagall wouldn't fall for it."

"I know, but Dumbledore might." Alicia nagged, Harry didn't look hopeful.

"I'll worry about it later." he turned to the clock, it was now two in the morning. "You'd better get home." he said. Alicia sighed.

"Sure. Shall I come back later?" she smiled

"Well the Dursley's aren't going to have planned anything." Harry reminded her

"True… you know I think I wont knock today, I'll just walk straight in, seeing as Vernon likes to shout a little I'll just tell him it's my birthday and I can do what I want." Alicia shrugged "Say, I've been thinking, we should make up a story about my parents, that they're alive and wizards and will beat the living crap out of the Dursleys." Alicia grinned. Harry couldn't keep the smile of his face either but he tried to control himself

"I don't…"

"Can we at least tell Dudley?" Alicia loved tormenting Dudley as he had done so to Harry for eleven years.

Harry sighed and Alicia rolled her eyes before grabbing her presents and moving to the window.

"Drop them down for me when I land?" she asked. Harry nodded

"Come on Noel, Vernon will kill you if he finds you here." Alicia admitted. Noel gave Hedwig and Errol an small hoot of goodbye before she flew out the window and landed on a bush waiting.

Alicia climbed down the rope and Harry unattached it. When Alicia had rolled the rope back up again Harry dropped the presents into her hands and she waved good bye before carrying them back around to the front and to the road, Noel flying by her side.

"One day we're going to have something up on these Dursleys, even if it is when we're seventeen and able to sue magic." Alicia muttered to her owl.


	2. Chapter 2

**I have changed this chapter after accidentally uploading the second chapter for the fourth book.**

* * *

Chapter 2:

Alicia sat at breakfast eating some pancakes which had been made specially for her as she read the _Daily Prophet_. There was something about the newspaper, you were able to make the pictures stand still when in the company of muggles.

On the front page was a man, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle. His name was Sirus Black, and according to the newspaper he had escaped from Azkaban, the wizard prison.

Alicia had read about Azkaban, as last year Hagrid had been taken there. The Ministry believed he was guilty of several attacks that was happening in the school, of which Voldemort was making Ginny Weasley commit. The prison was supposed to be inescapable, the Azkaban guards somehow prevented anyone from even trying to escape, news on the guards themselves Alicia hadn't looked up, but she knew Black escaping was a big deal without the _Prophet_ needing to tell her.

No one had ever broken out of Azkaban before.

"Where do you get that newspaper?" Alicia sighed and looked up at Matthew. He was now seventeen, almost eighteen and loved tormenting Alicia. At first it used to be because of the magic she did uncontrollably, then it was that she was at a school he liked to pretend was for the mentally insane. Now it was anything and everything Alicia did.

"It's delivered to me." she answered simply, returning her gaze to the paper.

"Oh yeah? From where?"

"Your mind's too small to comprehend it's origins." Alicia said simply. Technically it was true, but Matt didn't like to be told.

Of course he couldn't act on his anger as Ms Bane walked in.

"Happy Birthday Alicia," Ms Bane placed a parcel in front of Alicia who smiled

"Thank you."

"We got you one too!" Portia said as she and Alex sat opposite her. Portia and Alex were Alicia's friends, almost like family, in the orphanage. The three had originally shared a room, but Alicia had needed to ask for her own after starting Hogwarts in order to do her homework. The two were the only ones who stayed close to her after she pushed everyone else away thanks to her out-of-control magic.

The two girls pushed a parcel in front and Alicia pulled it close after noticing Matt eyeing it, probably planning on stealing it, no matter what it was.

Alicia opened Ms Bane's first and found a fifty dollar note sitting a top of a jumper.

"For the cold winter ahead." Ms Bane smiled. Alicia looked at the fifty surprised, she had never received so much — in muggle money of course, her parents had left her a fortune when they'd died, of which was sitting several miles below London's underground. Alicia smiled up at Ms Bane.

"Thank you." she could put the money away for next summer. Alicia opened the small present from the girls and found necklace and charm bracelet, of which was holding two charms, a flower for Portia and a cat for Alex.

"A cat?" Alicia wondered

"Curiosity." Portia said glancing at Alex who smiled.

"To remind you to write to us this year." Alex's smile turned to a scowl. With all that had happened at Hogwarts last year, Alicia had gotten rather bad at replies. She glanced at Ms Bane who smiled and nodded. As Alex and Portia didn't know about Alicia being a witch and therefore didn't know about owl post, Alicia had to send her mail through Ms Bane to the girls.

"I will." Alicia slipped on the bracelet and Ms Bane clipped the necklace around her neck before Alicia yawned.

"Up late?" Portia wondered

"I was excited, I couldn't sleep." Alicia said smiling

"Of course not, you're officially a teenager, any moodiness or rudeness it blamed on it." Alex grinned

"It doesn't mean you get away with it though." Ms Bane warned, to which Alex grinned innocently. Alicia chuckled before she stood up and took her bowl to the kitchen to wash up. Of course when she came back, Matt had her newspaper and was laughing at it.

"Azkaban?" he asked "What the hell is that? This is the stupidest newspaper ever."

"Like I said, your mind can't handle it." Alicia said simply "Now give it back!" she snapped angrily

"Make me." Matt smirked. Alicia raised and eyebrow. Other then Dudley, there was only one person who infuriated Alicia more then Matt and that was Draco Malfoy. He and Harry were arch enemies. Both in opposite houses, Draco being in Slytherin, the dark wizard house as most called it, and Alicia loved hexing and cursing him whenever given the chance.

Alicia grabbed a spoon from beside her on the table and threw it, glancing at Ms Bane who had her back to them. The spoon hit Matt in the forehead, who cried out, causing him to drop the paper.

"Don't dish it out if you can't take it." Alicia said simply, picking the _Daily Prophet_ up from the ground. She moved off to her bedroom and then back down to the front door, leaving the building as Ms Bane fussed over Matt and tried to get an answer as to who'd thrown it from those around him.

Alicia walked to number four Privet Drive and straight to the front door. She knocked as she opened it and walked straight in to the kitchen. Dudley managed to move his eyes from the new TV they'd bought — the very large boy had complained about the walk between the TV and the fridge — to look at her surprised.

"Good morning." she said as Aunt Petunia looked from her to Uncle Vernon, worried and Vernon's face turned more purple then Alicia had ever seen it.

"Happy Birthday Harry." Alicia grinned as Harry looked slightly amused

"Happy Birthday Alicia." Harry replied, his voice holding a little laughter as he tried to hold it in.

"It's your birthday too?" Dudley said as his five chins wobbled, Alicia had never seen Dudley without food. She looked disgusted as she noticed the news was on.

"Hey, he was in my newspaper." she noticed. All Dursleys, though Vernon hesitant, and Harry turned to the TV.

"… The public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."

"No need to tell us _he's_ no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, his eyes went to Alicia as he stared over the top of his newspaper. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!"

He shot a nasty look sideways at Harry, whose untidy hair had always been a source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon. Compared to the man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle, Harry was very well groomed indeed.

Harry rolled his eyes but Alicia was still smiling as Petunia stood, unsure on what to do about Alicia. Alicia had the nerve to sit at their table, just to see how they'd act, but she didn't want to push it too much as first.

The reporter had reappeared.

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today —"

"Hang on!" barked Uncle Vernon, staring furiously at the reporter. "You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! What use is that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!"

Aunt Petunia, who was bony and horse-faced, whipped around, away from Alicia finally, and peered intently out of the kitchen window. Aunt Petunia would simply love to be the one to call the hot line number. She was the nosiest woman in the world and spent most of her life spying on the boring, law-abiding neighbours.

"When will they _learn,_ " said Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his large purple fist, "that hanging's the only way to deal with these people?"

"Very true," said Aunt Petunia, who was still squinting into next door's runner beans.

"You, girl?" Vernon pointed

"Alicia." Alicia said

"Where'd your newspaper say he'd escaped from?" he demanded

"Azkaban." Alicia admitted

"Where in the devil's name is that?"

"No idea, don't think you'd find it around here though Mr Dursley." Alicia assured turning her gaze to Harry, he looked at her confused, not getting her message that Black was from their world.

Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and added, "I'd better be off in a minute, Petunia. Marge's train gets in at ten."

"Marge?" Alicia muttered confused.

Harry suddenly looked shocked.

"Aunt Marge?" he blurted out. "Sh — _she's_ not coming here, is she?"

"Marge'll be here for a week," Uncle Vernon snarled, "and while we're on the subject" — he pointed a fat finger threateningly at Harry and Alicia, though as usual he looked more hesitant about Alicia — "we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her."

Harry and Alicia shared a look, Alicia confused and Harry grimacing. Dudley smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching Harry being bullied by Uncle Vernon was Dudley's favourite form of entertainment.

"Firstly," growled Uncle Vernon, "you'll keep a civil tongue in your head when you're talking to Marge."

"All right," said Harry bitterly, "if she does when she's talking to me."

"Secondly," said Uncle Vernon, acting as though he had not heard Harry's reply, "as Marge doesn't know anything about your _abnormality,_ " he glanced at Alicia also with this "I don't want any — any _funny_ stuff while she's here. You behave yourself, got me?"

"I will if she does," said Harry through gritted teeth.

"And you…!" Vernon began to Alicia

"I will not do any ' _funny business'_ as you call it in front of her, I will not barge into the house, I will be nice, but I do not promise to hold my tongue if she's a pig of a women to me." Alicia held her hand up as if making a pledge "That's if I see her of course." she shrugged. Vernon looked angrily at her but chose to ignore her comments and turned back to Harry.

"And thirdly," said Uncle Vernon, his mean little eyes now slits in his great purple face, "we've told Marge you attend St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys."

" _What_?" Harry yelled.

" _Harry_ a _criminal_?" Alicia demanded

"And you'll be sticking to that story, boy, or there'll be trouble," spat Uncle Vernon.

Harry sat there, white-faced and furious, staring at Uncle Vernon. But then Alicia remembered something and leaned down to Harry's ear.

"The Hogsmeade form." Harry looked at her, the anger fading slightly before he took a deep breath and nodded. He'd be good, in order to get his form signed.

"And you," Vernon began again

"Uh… friend from the neighbourhood?" Alicia wondered. Vernon flinched, it was like she could read his mind and Alicia knew this frightened him as she smiled.

"You're not going to make me a criminal too?" she demanded, her face now hard. Vernon looked at her before turning to Petunia, choosing not to answer.

"Well, Petunia," said Uncle Vernon, getting heavily to his feet, "I'll be off to the station, then. Want to come along for the ride, Dudders?"

"No," said Dudley, whose attention had returned to the television now that Uncle Vernon had finished threatening Harry.

"Duddy's got to make himself smart for his auntie," said Aunt Petunia, smoothing Dudley's thick blond hair. "Mummy's bought him a lovely new bow tie."

Uncle Vernon clapped Dudley on his porky shoulder.

"See you in a bit, then," he said, and he left the kitchen.

"Harry, the form!" Alicia nudged him and Harry was out of his chair and after Uncle Vernon quickly. Petunia looked at Alicia nervously and Alicia smiled before peering into the hallway were Harry was watching Vernon pull on his car coat.

"I'm not taking _you,_ " Vernon snarled as he turned to see Harry watching him.

"Like I wanted to come," said Harry coldly. "I want to ask you something."

Uncle Vernon eyed him suspiciously.

"Third years at Hog — at my school are allowed to visit the village sometimes," said Harry.

"So?" snapped Uncle Vernon, taking his car keys from a hook next to the door.

"I need you to sign the permission form," said Harry in a rush.

"And why should I do that?" sneered Uncle Vernon.

"Well," said Harry, choosing his words carefully, "it'll be hard work, pretending to Aunt Marge I go to that St. Whatsits —"

"St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, and Harry was pleased to hear a definite note of panic in Uncle Vernon's voice.

"I already forgot the name, you?" Alicia asked Harry as she stood behind him. Harry nodded and turned back to Vernon.

"Exactly," said Harry, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. "It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?"

" _You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won't you_?" roared Uncle Vernon, advancing on Harry with his fist raised. But Harry stood his ground, Alicia giving him a confident look.

"Knocking the stuffing out of me won't make Aunt Marge forget what I could tell her," he said grimly.

Uncle Vernon stopped, his fist still raised, his face an ugly puce.

"But if you sign my permission form," Harry went on quickly, "I swear I'll remember where I'm supposed to go to school, and I'll act like a Mug — like I'm normal and everything."

Alicia and Harry shared a look as Vernon thought this over, even if his teeth were bared and a vein was throbbing in his temple.

"Right," he snapped finally. "I shall monitor your behaviour carefully during Marge's visit. If, at the end of it, you've toed the line and kept to the story, I'll sign your ruddy form."

He wheeled around, pulled open the front door, and slammed it so hard that one of the little panes of glass at the top fell out.

Alicia held up her hand and Harry high-fifed it.

"So, how should we spend today?" she wondered.

"We start by cleaning my room." Harry sighed. Alicia nodded.

The two went upstairs and Alicia and Harry put all the birthday presents under a loose board in the floor where all Harry's books, homework, quil and ink was hidden in a pillow case.

"What about Hedwig?" Alicia asked with a sigh. Errol seemed to have recovered; he and Hedwig were both asleep, heads under their wings.

"She could go to Ron's…" Harry muttered

"Why doesn't she stay with me?" Alicia wondered "She and Noel get on great." Harry looked at her and nodded. Harry began to poke them both awake.

"Hedwig," he said gloomily, "you're going to have to clear off for a week. Go to Alicia's with Noel. She'll look after you. And don't look at me like that" — Hedwig's large amber eyes were reproachful — "it's not my fault. It's the only way I'll be allowed to visit Hogsmeade with Alicia, Ron and Hermione."

"I'll treat you more," Alicia whispered "Plus you can always go where ever for the week, as long as you let me know you're alright." Alicia shrugged. She stroked the birds feathers and Hedwig nipped her affectionately.

"I think that's a yes." Alicia smiled to Harry. "You might have to go with Errol to Ron's though." Alicia admitted. "Go to Noel, I've given her some letters to take as a reply to the birthday cards, the two of you can go together and keep an eye, incase Errol wears out again." Alicia sent a worried look at the old bird. Hedwig hooted slightly.

Ten minutes later, Errol and Hedwig soared out of the window and out of sight. Harry, now feeling thoroughly miserable, put the empty cage away inside the wardrobe.

"You know I'm probably not going to be allowed back once I leave." Alicia warned

"They can't keep you out… look at this morning, you walked straight in and not even a word." Harry said

"Yes but if I did that at all in the next week, you might not get your permission form." Alicia admitted "Anything I do I bet will inflict on you."

Harry sighed, this was true.

"How about I'll come round tomorrow and be a good girl, we'll see if Vernon gives you a look when he sees me. I mean I wasn't told to stay away, just to be _normal_." she spat the word with a roll of her eyes.

"I definitely don't want to leave you alone with them. How bad's this Marge?"

"Aunt Marge is Uncle Vernon's sister. Even though she was not a blood relative of mine I've always been forced to call her "Aunt"." Harry admitted with an annoyance look on his face. "Aunt Marge lives in the country, in a house with a large garden, where she breeds bulldogs. She doesn't often stay at Privet Drive, luckily, because she can't bear to leave her precious dogs, but each of her visits have stood out horribly vivid for me." Harry explained

"What happened?" Alicia bit her lip, expecting bad as everything else of Harry's had been before Hogwarts.

"Dudley's fifth birthday party, Aunt Marge had whacked me around the shins with her walking stick to stop me from beating Dudley at musical statues. A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerised robot for Dudley and a box of dog biscuits for me. On her last visit, the year before we both started at Hogwarts, I had accidentally trodden on the tail of her favourite dog. Ripper chased me out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight. The memory of this incident still brings tears of laughter to Dudley's eyes." Harry huffed in annoyance.

"Well, when she does something like this again, and being Vernon's sister she will, just remember the form. You remember the name of the school?" Alicia asked. Harry thought before he looked at her worried.

"St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys." Alicia repeated. "Say it."

"St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys." Harry said

"Again."

"St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys."

"Remember it?"

"St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys." Alicia smiled

"I'll ask you again when the car arrives." Alicia decided

"Alright." Harry nodded.

Petunia was suddenly shrieking up the stairs for Harry to come down and get ready to welcome their guest.

"That was fast." Alicia muttered, she followed Harry down the stairs and Petunia looked like she wanted to spit at her also.

"Shall I leave?" Alicia wondered, seeing her Aunt's look. Petunia didn't say anything, but Harry caught her attention.

"Do something about your hair!" Aunt Petunia snapped. All too soon, there was a crunch of gravel outside as Uncle Vernon's car pulled back into the driveway, then the clunk of the car doors and footsteps on the garden path.

"What's the name?" Alicia wondered

"St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys."

Alicia grinned.

"Get the door!" Aunt Petunia hissed at Harry.

Harry looked at Alicia who mouthed 'Hogsmeade' before he opened the door.

On the threshold stood Aunt Marge. She was very like Uncle Vernon: large, beefy, and purple-faced, she even had a moustache, though not as bushy as his. In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other was an old and evil-tempered bulldog.

Alicia was surprised at how alike the two looked. It truly was a family line…

"Where's my Dudders?" roared Marge. "Where's my neffy-poo?"

Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blond hair plastered flat to his fat head, a bow tie just visible under his many chins. Marge thrust the suitcase into Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him and Alicia grabbed him to steady him. She rubbed his back as he coughed and watched Marge seize Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, and plant a large kiss on his cheek.

Alicia noticed, as soon as the two parted, that Dudley had a twenty-pound note clutched in his fat fist.

"Money…?" Alicia asked

"It's the only reason Dudley puts up with her hugs." Harry whispered. Alicia nodded in understanding.

"Petunia!" shouted Marge, striding past Harry and Alicia. Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed, or rather, Marge bumped her large jaw against Aunt Petunia's bony cheekbone.

Uncle Vernon now came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door.

"Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?"

"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer," said Marge as they all proceeded into the kitchen, leaving Harry and Alicia alone in the hall with the suitcase.

"I feel like I'm with Professor Snape again… only he didn't insult you." Alicia muttered. Professor Severus Snape was the Potions master and head of Slytherin house at Hogwarts. He absolutely loathed Harry, and Harry hated him right back. Alicia however, was ignored by the teacher, unless she did something that pleased him — like hexing an annoying dwarf last year on valentines day as it sung a valentine to someone — or he'd study her like a lost treasure and then move on.

"Any excuse not to be with her." Harry muttered

"Let's put this upstairs shall we then, that'll make everyone happy." Alicia decided.

The two of them heaved the heavy case up the stairs to the spare bedroom, Harry making sure they took as long as they could.

"What should I tell Marge when she asks who I am?" Alicia wondered

"Well if you tell her you're a friend of mine you wont get far."

"How about a family friend?" Alicia wondered "I don't want to snap at her and we both know I will if she pushes my buttons. We don't want to make her mad and you loose the opportunity to go to Hogsmeade."

"Have you gotten your form signed yet?" Harry wondered. Alicia paused

"No… I haven't…" she muttered truthfully. "I forgot."

"Oh well, lets see how this week goes first. I'm not going to miss something I haven't seen yet." she shrugged and moved back to the staircase.

"Do you think she'll notice if I introduce myself as Alicia _Evans_ … surely she knew Petunia's last name before they married…?"

"I don't think her brain can comprehend that." Harry muttered, causing Alicia to smirk slightly.

By the time they got back to the kitchen, Aunt Marge had been supplied with tea and fruitcake, and Ripper was lapping noisily in the corner. Aunt Petunia winced slightly as specks of tea and drool flecked her clean floor. Even Alicia knew Aunt Petunia hated animals.

"Who's looking after the other dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked.

"Oh, I've got Colonel Fubster managing them," boomed Aunt Marge. "He's retired now, good for him to have something to do. But I couldn't leave poor old Ripper. He pines if he's away from me."

Ripper began to growl again as Harry sat down, Alicia, after a glance around at Petunia and Vernon, took the last seat. This directed Aunt Marge's attention to Harry for the first time.

"So!" she barked. "Still here, are you?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"Don't you say 'yes' in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled. "It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd have gone straight to an orphanage if you'd been dumped on _my_ doorstep."

Alicia held her tongue as she was about to snap at Marge, but she reminded herself to keep quiet and nudged Harry to do the same, Harry in turn placed what looked like a painful smile on his face.

"Don't you smirk at me!" boomed Aunt Marge. "I can see you haven't improved since I last saw you. I hoped school would knock some manners into you." She took a large gulp of tea and wiped her moustache.

"And who is this?" she questioned looking at Alicia, eyeing the girl.

"Alicia Evans." Alicia smiled, she already didn't like the women but it was easier to smile when she didn't know the women personally "I'm a friend, I hope I'm not intruding on your stay…" she said worriedly, looking at the women. Alicia was always good at playing the innocent card, it had worked on the Dursleys until they knew she went to school with Harry, and wasn't just his friend.

"Oh, friend of Dudley's?" Marge seemed happy at this thought as Alicia looked at Petunia and Vernon who exchanged a worried look.

"Yeah, known him for a few years." Alicia looked at Dudley who looked like he wanted to say something but his father gave the boy a very stern look, of which Dudley had almost never received before.

Alicia glanced at Harry who glanced between the two, almost surprised Marge was taking so kindly to her.

"I'm very sorry to intrude on your welcome though…" Alicia continued

"Oh nonsense, always happy to meet friends of my Dudders." Marge ogled at the boy and Alicia had to suppress a laugh.

"What school is it you go to then?" Marge asked

"Unfortunately just the local public school, not nearly as good as Dudley's school, Smeltings." Alicia sighed, sounding disappointed. Marge smiled

"Yes, your parents not able to afford it?" Alicia had to prevent her expression from going sour.

"I don't know." she decided with "They work a lot, the public is the closest one so it's easier." Marge looked her over and huffed with a nod before looking at Harry. Her gaze immediately looked like Harry was a flea on one of her dogs.

"Where is it that you send him, again, Vernon?" she jabbed a finger at Harry

"St. Brutus's," said Uncle Vernon promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases."

"I see," said Aunt Marge. "Do they use the cane at St. Brutus's, boy?" she barked across the table.

"Er —"

Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back.

"Yes," said Harry. Then, feeling he might as well do the thing properly, he added, "all the time."

"Excellent," said Aunt Marge. "I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. A good thrashing is what's needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. Have _you_ been beaten often?"

"Oh, yeah," said Harry, "loads of times."

Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.

"I still don't like your tone, boy," she said. "If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard enough. Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this boy's case."

Perhaps Uncle Vernon was worried that Harry might forget their bargain; in any case, he changed the subject abruptly.

"Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?"

Alicia was able to get away with Marge being somewhat nice to her for the rest of the day. Harry however she constantly barked ways of improving him, Petunia didn't seem to like the orders, but she never questioned the moustached women.

Alicia went over every day and Petunia and Vernon practically tried to shoo Harry out of the house with her. Marge on the other hand had other plans for him, she demanded Harry stay under her watchful eye at all times. This usually resulted in Alicia getting dragged into the house also.

Alicia quickly noticed one of Marge's favourite things was to compare Harry and Dudley. She took huge pleasure in buying Dudley expensive presents while glaring at Harry, as though daring him to ask why he hadn't got a present too. She also kept throwing out dark hints about what made Harry such an unsatisfactory person.

"You mustn't blame yourself for the way the boy's turned out, Vernon," she said over lunch on the third day. "If there's something rotten on the _inside,_ there's nothing anyone can do about it."

Alicia was trying to keep the glare off her face as Harry's hands shook. Marge had taken a bit of a liking to her by now, either that or she was inspecting Alicia. Harry agreed when Alicia said this was the more likely of the two, Dursleys didn't seem to like anyone but other Dursleys.

Aunt Marge reached for her glass of wine.

"It's one of the basic rules of breeding," she said. "You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup —"

Alicia's head had snapped up in a glare at that stage, angry that Marge insinuated her mother was unstable. Especially when she hadn't even met the women!

At that moment, the wineglass Aunt Marge was holding exploded in her hand. Shards of glass flew in every direction and Marge sputtered and blinked, her great ruddy face dripping.

"Marge!" squealed Aunt Petunia. "Marge, are you all right?"

Alicia just glared at Marge while Petunia and Vernon looked at Harry. Harry glanced at Alicia who ducked her head again, taking a deep breath to calm down.

"Not to worry," grunted Aunt Marge, mopping her face with her napkin. "Must have squeezed it too hard. Did the same thing at Colonel Fubster's the other day. No need to fuss, Petunia, I have a very firm grip…"

Harry excused himself from the table, skipping dessert and dragged Alicia away also.

"Was that you?" Harry whispered ever so quietly

"Most probably." Alicia nodded as she took a deep breath. "I just can't believe she said that."

"She's Marge."

"I don't care." Alicia hissed

"The Hogsmeade form isn't the only thing in trouble with that kind of incident." Harry warned.

Alicia sighed and nodded.

"I know."

Harry and Alicia were both still underage wizards, and they were forbidden by wizard law to do magic outside school. Alicia was more okay with this then Harry was however, her record was clean. Harry's wasn't. Only last summer he'd gotten an official warning that had stated quite clearly that if the Ministry got wind of any more magic in Privet Drive, Harry would face expulsion from Hogwarts. If Alicia did anymore in Harry's house, he'd get blamed for it.

The two heard the Dursleys leaving the table and both hurried upstairs out of the way.

"You know you don't have to come and deal with this." Harry said to Alicia

"Yeah right. After two days, out of four, with her here I refuse to leave you. I almost exploded something but if you deal with that for a week you'll be exploding the house. Someone needs to keep you sane." Alicia admitted

"And you?"

"I'll be alright." Alicia took a deep breath "I'm going to go home, write a rage letter to Hermione, I'll feel better, I'll read the Daily Prophet, memorise a few spells from Hermione's spell book and then I'll be fine." Alicia said, she already felt better. "Plus, if we hadn't been separated I'd have had to deal with it too, I might as well make some of your burden lighter." she shrugged.

* * *

Harry had taken up the same sort of idea as Alicia. While she remembered every spell in the French Charm book Hermione had given her, and had gotten all the pronunciations right, Harry had immersed himself by thinking about his _Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare_. Nothing had happened since the exploding glass.

Three days past, of which Alicia was there for two of, and then finally it was Marge's last day. Alicia was happy to see her leave and she hadn't had to live with the women like Harry had.

Aunt Petunia had cooked a fancy dinner and Uncle Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine. They got all the way through the soup and the salmon without a single mention of Harry's faults; during the lemon meringue pie, Uncle Vernon bored them all with a long talk about Grunnings, his drill-making company; then Aunt Petunia made coffee and Uncle Vernon brought out a bottle of brandy.

"Can I tempt you, Marge?"

Aunt Marge had already had quite a lot of wine. Her huge face was very red.

"Just a small one, then," she chuckled. "A bit more than that… and a bit more… that's the ticket."

Dudley was eating his fourth slice of pie. Aunt Petunia was sipping coffee with her little finger sticking out. Harry had almost pulled Alicia from the room before they both received a look from Vernon that told them to stay.

"Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass back down. "Excellent nosh, Petunia. It's normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after…" She burped richly and patted her great tweed stomach. "Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized boy," she went on, winking at Dudley. "You'll be a proper-sized man, Dudders, like your father. Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon…"

"Now, this one here —"

She jerked her head at Harry and Alicia waited for the comparison Marge enjoyed.

"This one's got a mean, runty look about him. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred."

Alicia recited page thirty-four of her charm book in her head to calm her rising nerves. Insinuate they drown Harry. Drown a dog! Animal cruelty much.

"It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" — she patted Aunt Petunia's bony hand with her shovel-like one — "but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result right in front of us."

Alicia went from page thirty-four to fifty-eight, but her anger wasn't calming anymore as she sat beside Harry and Marge insulted her family, her entire family, again.

"This Potter," said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, "you never told me what he did?"

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were looking extremely tense. Dudley had even looked up from his pie to gape at his parents.

"He — didn't work," said Uncle Vernon, with half a glance at Harry. "Unemployed."

"As I expected!" said Aunt Marge, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. "A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who —"

"He was not," said Harry suddenly said, however, Alicia had said the same. The table went very quiet. The Dursleys were all looking at Alicia who was glaring at Marge, not even bothering to clam down.

"MORE BRANDY!" yelled Uncle Vernon, who had gone very white. He emptied the bottle into Aunt Marge's glass. "You, boy," he snarled at Harry. "Go to bed, go on — Alicia —" he began.

"No, Vernon," hiccuped Aunt Marge, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on Harry's. "Go on, boy, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash (drunk, I expect) —"

"They didn't die in a car crash!" said Harry, who found himself on his feet.

"I'd like to see what would happen if I hit you with a car!" Alicia snapped suddenly, and everyone looked at her "You bloody hypocrite! _You're_ the drunk one. Blood shot eyes, probably can't even walk straight you waddling pig!" Petunia looked frightened and Marge was looking at Alicia surprised.

"You don't know the bloody story! Car crash my ass." Alicia hissed.

"They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left him to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!" screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful little —"

"And you're a nasty fat hag who needs to learn respect! What the hell gives you the right to say that!" Alicia shouted as she took a slight step forward to the women.

Her rage suddenly seemed to be filled with confusion however as Aunt Marge seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger, it seemed as though words had failed her, but the swelling didn't stop. Her great red face started to expand, her tiny eyes bulged, and her mouth stretched too tightly for speech — next second, several buttons had just burst from her tweed jacket and pinged off the walls — she was inflating like a monstrous balloon, her stomach bursting free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like a salami —

"MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together as Aunt Marge's whole body began to rise off her chair toward the ceiling. She was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. Ripper came skidding into the room, barking madly.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Uncle Vernon seized one of Marge's feet and tried to pull her down again, but was almost lifted from the floor himself. A second later, Ripper leapt forward and sank his teeth into Uncle Vernon's leg.

Alicia didn't wait for anything else, she grabbed Harry, who's face was angrier then Marge's had been, and dragged him from the room. The cupboard door under the stairs burst magically open as the two reached it. In seconds, Harry had heaved his trunk to the front door as Alicia ran the stairs. Harry grabbed Hedwig's cage and Alicia all his things from under the loose floorboard.

They threw everything into the trunk just as Uncle Vernon appeared from the dinning room, his trouser leg in bloody tatters.

"COME BACK IN HERE!" he bellowed. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!"

"You bloody make us!" Alicia snapped angrily and the man backed away slightly as Harry, in a reckless rage, kicked his trunk open, pulled out his wand, and pointed it at Uncle Vernon.

"She deserved it," Harry said, breathing very fast. "She deserved what she got. You keep away from me."

He fumbled behind him for the latch on the door.

"I'm going," Harry said. "I've had enough."

And in the next moment, he was out in the dark, quiet street, heaving his heavy trunk behind him as Alicia followed with Hedwig's cage in her hands.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

They walked for several streets, Alicia's rage was long gone as she realised Harry was in trouble. There was nothing ahead and only anguish behind. Where on earth could he go… she could possibly convince Ms Bane to let him stay with them, as Ms Bane knew about their world they could explain Harry's entire story, or at least the Dursley's cruelty to him, to her.

Eventually Harry collapsed on a low walk in Magnolia Crescent. They were only a street or so away from the orphanage. The two were still as Alicia put Hedwig's cage down.

"Harry," Alicia said as she noticed his face being completely writhed with panic.

"Alicia, what the hell am I going to do?" he finally said, worried "I've just done serious magic, which means I'm almost certainly expelled from Hogwarts." he said, a little anger in himself seeping through his words "I've broken the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry so badly, I'm surprised the Ministry of Magic representatives aren't swooping down on me where I sit!"

"Harry! You're still in training, you didn't use a wand and it was accidental!" Alicia snapped "You might get a warning but you cannot be blamed for this! And Dumbledore would never let you, and I'm a witness." she had her hands on his shoulders.

"Then what? Hedwig's gone, Ron and Hermione are in different countries… I have no muggle money, we can't get to London and to Gringotts…"

"Harry, we're a street away from the orphanage, don't be so dramatic." Alicia bent over and picked up the trunk, leaving Harry with Hedwig's cage as she began to walk.

"Come on. If you're an outcast, which I doubt, then I'm coming with you." she decided. After a minute she heard Hedwig's cage rattling as Harry followed

"But Ms Bane…"

"Might be strict but we both know not all muggles are like the Dursleys. If anything I'll tell her I'm leaving early." Alicia shrugged.

"And if you don't come back?"

"I'll write to her." Alicia thought.

They walked in silence as Harry tried to think of something else to say and reached the orphanage before he'd realised.

Alicia walked in and placed Harry's trunk by the front door before she moved up to her room. Harry placed the cage down and followed her, looking around awkwardly, his wand in his pocket conspicuously.

Alicia unlocked her door and walked in, grabbing her trunk and throwing all her Hogwarts things, clothes and anything else she needed into it.

"Where's Hedwig? Or Noel?" Harry asked, noticing the cage was empty

"Knowing our luck, and seeing as owls are nocturnal animals, I'm going to say they're out." Alicia said simply

She closed her trunk and began to pull it to the door, handing Harry Noel's cage.

"Well go on." Alicia shooed him out of the room and then followed him down with the Trunk. The last time she'd done this it had taken her almost a hour, Alicia was faster but still quiet this time before her trunk sat next to Harry's.

"Wait here."

Alicia moved off to Ms Bane's office where she was looking over some paper work.

"Evening Alicia," she smiled

"Hey Ms Bane," Ms Bane looked up at her, sensing bad news.

"What's wrong?"

"Um… is it okay if I leave a little early for school," Alicia wondered

"How early?"

"Now?"

"Now!? Alicia —"

"I know but it's important." Alicia admitted "It's a long story and kind of confusing. I'll send you an owl as soon as Noel finds me — she's out hunting at the moment but —"

Ms Bane studied Alicia for a few minutes. Her expression held something similar to Professor McGonagall's, the strict deputy headmistress, transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor house of Hogwarts. When she was angry, her mouth became a very thin line.

It was worse then Professor Snape's anger.

Alicia waited and watched before Ms Bane sighed.

"This is important?" she asked

"Very."

"You'll send me a letter?"

"As soon as I'm able."

"You'll be back over summer?"

"Unless you want me back for Christmas." Which Alicia doubted but she always made the offer as a kind gesture.

"Where are you going?"

Alicia had hoped she wouldn't ask this question.

"London." she said suddenly

"And how are you going to get there?" Ms Bane was now suspicious

"There's a wizard bus, it's complicated…" Alicia knew this was only half true. She had read about a bus that helped stranded wizards, only she didn't know how they knew they were stranded or where they took them…

"Oh?" Ms Bane looked confused

"Weird I know, but yes." Alicia nodded.

Alicia waited as Ms Bane eyed her before sighing.

"Alright. But you must stick to your word."

Alicia grinned.

"Thank you!"

"You be safe my dear." Alicia nodded and opened the door to leave.

"See you next summer Ms Bane."

Alicia rejoined Harry in the lobby.

"Let's go." she said quickly, grabbing her cage and trunk.

"But where are we going?" Harry demanded

"London."

"How?"

"I'm getting there." Alicia opened the door and Harry hauled his trunk and Hedwig's cage out also.

They walked down the street and around the corner before Alicia stopped.

"Okay, there is a bus, we don't need to break anymore rules, but the problem is, I don't know how it finds us." Alicia said waving her hands around. "And I don't have any books that tell me or I'd know."

"That doesn't exactly help."

"Better then nothing." Alicia muttered.

Harry sighed before he suddenly paused. He turned to look around, but the only two in the street were him an Alicia.

"Wh—" she didn't need an answer as she suddenly felt as though they were being watched. She looked around but didn't see anything.

"Harry…" she muttered. Harry nodded, he was staring at a house behind them, between the garage and the fence.

" _Lumos,_ " Harry muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, almost dazzling them both. Harry held his wand high over his head, and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled; the garage door gleamed, and between them Harry and Alicia saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes.

Alicia's eyes widened at the sight of the animal, it looked like a giant dog.

Harry stepped backward. His legs hit his trunk and he tripped. Alicia spun to grab his hand and stop him but missed. His wand flew out of his hand as he flung out an arm to break his fall, and he landed, hard, in the gutter —

There was a deafening BANG, and Harry threw up his hands to shield his eyes against a sudden blinding light —

Alicia grabbed Harry and pulled him onto the pavement, just in time. A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt exactly where Harry had just been lying. They belonged to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled _The Knight Bus._

"So that's how it works…" Alicia muttered.

The Knight Bus was the bus that picked up stranded wizards! Alicia watched as the conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve —"

The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Harry, who was still sitting on the ground and Alicia who was staring at Stan. Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than she was, eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and quite a few pimples. Harry snatched up his wand again and scrambled to his feet as Stan stared at him.

"What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner.

"Fell over," said Harry.

" 'Choo fall over for?" sniggered Stan.

"I didn't do it on purpose," said Harry, annoyed. One of the knees in his jeans was torn, and the hand he had thrown out to break his fall was bleeding.

Alicia then remembered why Harry had fallen over and turned to the alley way, The Knight Bus's headlamps were flooding it with light, and it was empty.

" 'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan.

"An animal." Alicia muttered

"There was a big black thing," said Harry, pointing uncertainly into the gap. "Like a dog… but massive…"

Stan's mouth was slightly open. Alicia and Harry shared a confused look as Stan's eyes move to the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly.

"Nothing," said Harry quickly, flattening his hair over his scar.

Alicia rolled her eyes.

"Can you give us a lift?" she wondered

" 'Course that's what we're 'ere for." Stan said "Woss your names?" Stan persisted.

"Neville Longbottom," said Harry, Alicia raised an eyebrow at him and opened her mouth, only Harry elbowed her. She sent him an annoyed look before sighing

"Lavender Brown." she lied, looking at Harry irritated

"So — so this bus," Harry went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, "did you say it goes _anywhere_?"

"Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, long's it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater. 'Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, "you _did_ flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?"

"Yes," said Harry quickly while Alicia's answer was a lot calmer.

"Listen, how much would it be to get to London?" Harry wondered

"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for firteen you get 'ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot water bottle an' a toofbrush in the colour of your choice."

Alicia pulled her wizard money from her trunk as Harry did and both handed over some gold. They then lifted the trunks, along with the two cages, up the stairs of the bus.

There were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-panelled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs" and rolled over in his sleep.

"You two 'ave these ones," Stan whispered, shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel, and Alicia's under the one next to it. "This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Neville Longbottom and Lavenda Brown, Ern."

Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to the two and Harry nervously flattened his bangs again. Alicia sat down on the bed and grabbed the pole beside her as she looked around.

"Take 'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's.

There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment Alicia felt herself thrown backwards slightly, only staying up by her hold on the bed. Harry however had fallen flat back on his bed, thrown backward by the speed of the Knight Bus. Alicia stared out the window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street. Stan was watching Harry's stunned face with great enjoyment.

"This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Wales?"

"Ar," said Ernie.  
"How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said Harry.

"Them!" said Stan contemptuously. "Don' listen properly, do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'."

"No argument there." Alicia muttered as she watched houses, cars, sign posts and street names flash past in a blur, too quickly to make anything out of.

"Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute."

Stan passed both twins' beds and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase with excellent balance, probably from lots of practice.

Alicia watched Ernie, who didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel. The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lampposts, mailboxes, and trash cans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed.

Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak.

" 'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut; there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way.

Stan had unfurled a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. A large photograph of Sirus Black was on the cover, as it had been for the last week.

"That man!" Harry said, forgetting his troubles for a moment. "He was on the Muggle news!"

Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled.

"Sirius Black," he said, nodding. " 'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Neville, where you been?"

He gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on Harry's face, removed the front page, and handed it to Harry.

"You oughta read the papers more, Neville."

"H… Neville, he's a wizard, Azkaban is a Wizard prison." Alicia admitted "Didn't you read the news paper I gave you?" Harry shook his head as he looked at the picture.  
Harry held the paper up to the candlelight and read:

 _BLACK STILL AT LARGE_

 _Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today._

 _"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm."_

 _Fudge has been criticised by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis._

 _"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it — who'd believe him if he did?"_

 _While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse._

"I tried to tell you at breakfast before ballon face showed up." Alicia said

"Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching Harry read.

"He murdered _thirteen people_?" said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, "with _one curse_?"

"Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?"

"Ar," said Ern darkly.

Stan swivelled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Harry.

"Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-'Oo," he said.

"What, Voldemort?" said Harry, without thinking.

Even Stan's pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus.

Alicia hit Harry, standing only long enough to do so before sitting safely back down again.

"You outta your tree?" yelped Stan. " 'Choo say 'is name for?"

"Sorry," said Harry hastily. "Sorry, I — I forgot —"

"Forgot!" said Stan weakly. "Blimey, my 'eart's goin' that fast…"

"So — so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" Harry prompted apologetically.

"Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say. Anyway, when little 'Arry Potter got the better of You-Know-'Oo —"

Harry nervously flattened his bangs down again and shared a look with Alicia.

"— all You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over."

Alicia raised an eyebrow… would anyone really dare to even think that?

"Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. 'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper.

"What?" said Harry.

" _Laughed_ ," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, 'e went wiv 'em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?"

"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you… after what he did…"

"They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. " 'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said 'ad 'appened, Ern?"

"Gas explosion," grunted Ernie.

"An' now 'e's out," said Stan, examining the newspaper picture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?"

Ernie suddenly shivered.

"Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles."

Stan put the paper away reluctantly, and Harry leaned against the window of the Knight Bus. Alicia eyed Stan for a minute before she turned to look at her lap. She needed, more then anything to find out who these guards were… they weren't in any of her books or any books she'd read so far, but they'd be a reference somewhere… right?

If not, Hermione would know. Or at least where to find it.

The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness, scattering bushes and wastebaskets, telephone booths and trees. After a while, Stan remembered that Harry and Alicia had paid for hot chocolate, but poured Harry's all over his pillow when the bus moved abruptly from Anglesey to Aberdeen. Alicia had politely refused and told him to take the tip instead.

One by one, wizards and witches in dressing gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus. They all looked very pleased to go.

Finally, Harry and Alicia were the only passengers left.

"Right then, Neville, Lavenda," said Stan, clapping his hands, "whereabouts in London?"

"Diagon Alley," they chorused

"Righto," said Stan. " 'Old tight, then…"

BANG!

They were thundering along Charing Cross Road. Alicia watched buildings and benches squeezing themselves out of the Knight Bus's way. The sky was getting a little lighter and Alicia felt better to know she was going somewhere familiar in a few minutes.

Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley.

"Thanks," Harry said to Ern.

"Thank you." Alicia followed Harry as they jumped down the steps and Stan helped lower their trunks and cages onto the pavement.

"Well," said Harry. " 'Bye then!"

But Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus, he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.

" _There_ you are, Harry," said a voice.

Before Harry could turn, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Alicia turned and her mouth dropped open. It was Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself. At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come _'ere_!"

Alicia watched as Harry's face drained and turned pale. She sent him a reassuring look, but even she was now worried as the Minister himself had turned up to meet them.

Stan leapt onto the pavement beside them.

"What didja call Neville, Minister?" he said excitedly.

Fudge, a portly little man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted.

"Neville?" he repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter."

"I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! I can see 'is scar!"

"Yes," said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry up, but he and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now… Miss Evans, you'll be coming too." Alicia nodded.

Harry found himself being steered inside the pub and Alicia followed. A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord.

"You've got him, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?"

"Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of Harry. There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying Harry and Alicia's trunks and Hedwig and Noel's cages and looking around excitedly.

" 'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Neville?" said Stan, beaming at Harry, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder.

"It's a long story." Alicia said with a sigh

"And a _private_ parlour, please, Tom," said Fudge pointedly.

" 'Bye," Harry said miserably to Stan and Ern as Tom beckoned Fudge toward the passage that led from the bar.

" 'Bye, Neville!" called Stan.

Fudge marched Harry and Alicia along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlour. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room.

"Sit down, Harry, Alicia," said Fudge, indicating chairs by the fire.

Alicia sat down calmly, while Harry had goosebumps over his arms. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down opposite the twins.

"I am Cornelius Fudge, Alicia, Harry. The Minister of Magic."

The twins shared a look. Harry and Alicia already knew this, of course; they had seen Fudge once before, but as they'd had been wearing their father's Invisibility Cloak at the time, Fudge wasn't to know that.

Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and Harry and left the parlour, closing the door behind him.

"Well, Harry," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! And taking poor Alicia with you…"

"I chose to go." Alicia interrupted "I wasn't leaving him to wonder around with the circumstances." Alicia admitted. Fudge looked at her, almost as if surprised she knew something she shouldn't but seemed to decide better of it and smiled.

"I'd started to think… but you're safe, and that's what matters." Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward Alicia and Harry.

"Eat, Harry, you look dead on your feet. Now then… You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done."

"You mean she's back to normal already?" Alicia asked. Fudge nodded and Alicia looked disappointed, she deserved to be on the roof for at least a day.

Fudge smiled at Harry over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favourite nephew. Harry had his mouth hanging open, obviously surprised.

"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Harry, but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays."

Harry unstuck his throat.

"I _always_ stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," he said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive."

"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone.

"Ha. Minister, you've obviously never met these people." Alicia disagreed

"They are your family," Minister admitted giving her a look "After all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other — er — _very_ deep down."

"Like in hell deep." Alicia muttered  
"So all that remains," said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last three weeks of your vacation. I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and —"

"Hang on," blurted Harry. "What about my punishment?" Fudge blinked.

"Punishment?"

"I broke the law!" Harry said. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry!"

"Oh, my dear boy, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" cried Fudge, waving his crumpet impatiently. "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!"

"Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house!" he told Fudge, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!"

Unless Alicia's eyes were deceiving her, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward.

"Circumstances change, Harry… We have to take into account… in the present climate…" Alicia's eyes narrowed as Fudge stuttered over his words, the only thing she could think of since last year, was Harry had proved Fudge made a mistake in taking Hagrid for petrifying people and that Black was on the loose… But the Minister of Magic wouldn't worry himself with one boy because of a murderer… no matter how famous, right?

"Surely you don't _want_ to be expelled?"

"Of course I don't," said Harry.

"Well then, what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge. "Now, have a crumpet, Harry, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for you both."

"Thank you minister." Alicia smiled

"Anything Miss…" Fudge paused for a minute "Evans…" he muttered and his face looked like it had before when he claimed to be worried.

The two watched as Fudge strode out of the parlour

"Something extremely odds going on." Alicia whispered immediately. Harry nodded

"Why had Fudge been waiting for me at the Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish me for what I'd done?"

"I know, wouldn't he just sent an informer or something? Why come in person?" Alicia uttered "And the way he spoke, as though he knew something we didn't, something important, and the way he looked at me just now…" Alicia listed. Harry nodded and both glanced at the door.

Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper.

"Room eleven's free, Harry, Alicia," said Fudge. "You don't mind sharing yes?" he gave them a knowing look

"Not at all." they both chorused

"I think you'll be very comfortable. Just one thing, and I'm sure you'll understand… I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right?" his eyes darted between them both as Alicia looked confused "Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you both for me."

"Okay," said Harry slowly, "but why — ?"

"Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no… best we know where you are… I mean…" Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak.

"Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know…"

"Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Harry asked.

Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak. Alicia's eyes narrowed knowingly, her ability to make connections working quickly.

"What's that? Oh, you've heard — well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed… and they are angrier than I've ever seen them."

Fudge shuddered slightly.

"So, I'll say good-bye."

He held out his hand and Harry, shaking it, had a sudden idea. "Er — Minister? Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly," said Fudge with a smile.

"Well, third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but my aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission form. D'you think you could — ?"

Fudge was looking uncomfortable.

"Ah," he said. "No, no, I'm very sorry, Harry, but as I'm not your parent or guardian —"

"But you're the Minister of Magic," said Harry eagerly. "If you gave me permission —"

"No, I'm sorry, Harry, but rules are rules," said Fudge flatly. "Perhaps you'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year. In fact, I think it's best if you don't… yes… well, I'll be off. Enjoy your stay, Harry."

And with a last smile and shake of Alicia and Harry's hands, Fudge left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at Harry.

"If you'll follow me, Mr. Potter, Miss Evans," he said, "I've already taken your things up…"

Harry and Alicia followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for them.

Inside were two very comfortable-looking beds, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling fire and, perched on top of the wardrobe —

"Noel!" Alicia realised

"Hedwig!" Harry gasped.

The snowy and ebony owls fluttered down onto their arms and Hedwig gave her beak a click.

"Very smart owl you two've got there," chuckled Tom. "Arrived about five minutes after you did. If there's anything you need, Mr. Potter, Miss Evans, don't hesitate to ask."

He gave another bow and left.

"I think the Minister met you personally because of Black." Alicia said immediately, having to spill her thoughts.

Harry looked at Alicia shocked, and confused.

"What?"

"Didn't you notice, he was all about our safety, wants us to stay in a confined space full of wizards, back before dark, watched over by Tom, and he was utterly surprised when you asked about Black. Plus he doesn't want you leaving Hogwarts which is why he wouldn't sign your form." Alicia said

"But why me?" Harry asked

"That's the part I don't know. I mean it can't be because you're famous but as far as we know, Fudge hasn't asked Dumbledore to cancel the trip all together, expect maybe for sixth-years and above." she muttered thinking.

"You know you're not going to Hogsmeade either…" Harry said. Alicia paused

"Oh yeah…" she'd been so busy with Marge she'd forgotten about it. "Oh well, always next year. If we get desperate we've snuck out of the castle before." she grinned

"Not the grounds though."

"First time for everything." Alicia shrugged "And by the way, I know I shouldn't be surprised, but the minister of Magic knows who I am…" she muttered "Like, the Potter side."

" _Are_ you surprised?"

"Kinda…" Alicia nodded, Harry rolled his eyes at her before he sat on his bed for a long time, absentmindedly stroking Hedwig. Alicia laid down on hers and Noel perched on her bedside table watching. The sky outside the window was changing rapidly from deep, velvety blue to cold, steely grey and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold.

Alicia felt sleep begin to over take her and her eyes began to flutter closed as Harry said; "It's been a very weird night, Hedwig," he yawned.

And then there was silence within room eleven, both thirteen year olds falling sound asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Alicia noticed it took Harry a few days to get used to his freedom. Never before had he been able to get up whenever he wanted or eat whatever he fancied. He could even go wherever he pleased, as long as it was in Diagon Alley, and as this long cobbled street was packed with the most fascinating wizarding shops in the world, Harry felt no desire to break his word to Fudge and stray back into the Muggle world.

Alicia had already bought a few books to entertain herself, she'd even tired to find out about the Azkaban guards, but no luck there as of yet. She'd been very happy with having unlimited supply of gold, but tried not to buy junk she didn't need, like three ice creams or packets of chocolate frogs a day. She'd even scolded Harry a little, reminding him he had to conserve it, who knows what would happen if he couldn't get a proper job outside of Hogwarts when they graduated.

Harry had told her she sounded like Hermione, to which she scowled at him.

The two ate breakfast each morning in the Leaky Cauldron, Harry liked watching the other guests: funny little witches from the country, up for a day's shopping; venerable-looking wizards arguing over the latest article in _Transfiguration Today_ ; wild-looking warlocks; raucous dwarfs; and once, what looked suspiciously like a hag, who ordered a plate of raw liver from behind a thick woollen balaclava.

Alicia liked to see what witches and wizards did with their time, she'd spoke to a few about what they did, how they lived, of course she all asked if it was okay to ask first. One witch had told her she worked for the ministry in keeping magical creatures, like dragons, out of sight. Another was an editor for the _Daily Prophet_. A small witch said she was an realest agent. Alicia was surprised to find a witch doing so, but had then discovered she was muggle born and wanted to keep some connection to her heritage as well as her new life style.

After breakfast Harry and Alicia would go out into the backyard, one would take out their wand, tap the third brick from the left above the trash bin, and stand back as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall.

Harry and Alicia spent the long sunny days exploring the shops and eating under the brightly coloured umbrellas outside cafes, where their fellow diners were showing one another their purchases ("it's a lunascope, old boy — no more messing around with moon charts, see?") or else discussing the case of Sirius Black ("personally, I won't let any of the children out alone until he's back in Azkaban"). Harry didn't have to do his homework under the blankets by flashlight anymore; he and Alicia sat in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, finishing all the essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself, who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch burnings, gave Harry free sundaes every half an hour.

Alicia helped Harry with his potions homework, a subject he wasn't ace at as it was taught by his least favourite teacher and she added a little in with defence against the dark arts. The year before they had had a ridiculously stupid teacher, Gilroy Lockhart, who was all about smiles, thinking he knew everything, had every witch fawning over him, and was a thick head who in the end turned out to have stolen all the glory from other witches and wizards to have gotten famous. He had been an awful teacher really, only talking about his past, fake, adventures in his books.

They hadn't learnt anything.

One thing Alicia found even she lacked control over however, was in their favourite shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies. Curious to know what the crowd in the shop was staring at, the two had edged their way inside and squeezed in among the excited witches and wizards until they glimpsed a newly erected podium, on which was mounted the most magnificent broom they had ever seen.

"Just come out — prototype —" a square-jawed wizard was telling his companion.

"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, Dad?" squeaked a boy younger than Harry, who was swinging off his father's arm.

"Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" the proprietor of the shop told the crowd. "And they're favourites for the World Cup!"

The latest version of the Firebolt sat before their eyes.

"Holy crap." Alicia bit her finger "Think I could trade mine in for a new one?" she asked Harry. Alicia had bought a Firebolt in order to join the Gryffindor team last year.

"Your broom's fine."

"Don't scold me, you're thinking the same thing." Alicia snapped, hitting him lightly on the shoulder.

Despite this, both returned almost every day just to gaze at the broomstick.

There were, however, things that both needed to buy. They went to the Apothecary to replenish their store of potions ingredients, and as Harry's school robes were now several inches too short in the arm and leg, he visited Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and bought new ones. Alicia had just has her's adjusted a little. Harry seemed to have been growing faster then her, but boys did have a growth spurt. Most important of all, the two had to buy new schoolbooks, which would include those for Harry's two new subjects, Care of Magical Creatures and Divination and Alicia's several new subjects.

"I don't even understand how you're going to make it to all those classes." Harry admitted as he looked at her list of books.

"Professor McGonagall talked to Hermione and I last year, said she was going to work it out with us. We'll find out when we get back." Alicia shrugged.

Harry and Alicia got a surprise as they looked in at the bookshop window. Instead of the usual display of gold-embossed spellbooks the size of paving slabs, there was a large iron cage behind the glass that held about a hundred copies of _The Monster Book of Monsters._ Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively.

Harry pulled his booklist out of his pocket and consulted it for the first time, Alicia looking over his shoulder. _The Monster Book of Monsters_ was listed as the required book for Care of Magical Creatures.

"That explains how it's useful." Alicia sighed "Good ol' Hagrid." she grinned

"At least it's not meant to be a pet." Harry smirked.

As the two entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying toward him.

"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"

"Yes," said Harry, "I need —"

"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing Harry and Alicia aside. He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking stick, and proceeded toward the door of the _Monster Books'_ cage.

"Hang on," said Harry quickly, "I've already got one of those."

"Have you?"

"Yeah, we got them a week or so ago." Alicia admitted with a smile.

A look of enormous relief spread over the manager's face. "Thank heavens for that. I've been bitten five times already this morning —"

A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the _Monster Books_ had seized a third and were pulling it apart.

"Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of the _Invisible Book of Invisibility_ — cost a fortune, and we never found them… Well… is there anything else I can help you with?"

Harry and Alicia looked at each other.

"You go first, your list's shorter." Alicia admitted and Harry nodded.

"Yes," said Harry, looking down his booklist, "I need _Unfogging the Future_ by Cassandra Vablatsky."

"Me to." Alicia nodded with a sigh. She hadn't wanted to take Divination but Hermione and somehow talked her into it.

"Ah, starting Divination, are you?" said the manager, stripping off his gloves and leading Harry and Alicia into the back of the shop, where there was a corner devoted to fortune-telling. A small table was stacked with volumes such as _Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself Against Shocks_ and _Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul._

"Here you are," said the manager, who had climbed a set of steps to take down a thick, black-bound book. " _Unfogging the Future._ Very good guide to all your basic fortune-telling methods — palmistry, crystal balls, bird entrails —"

But Harry wasn't listening. His eyes had fallen on another book, which was among a display on a small table: _Death Omens: What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming_.

"Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you," said the manager lightly, looking to see what Harry was staring at. Alicia followed her brother's gaze and her eyes were glued to the book. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere. It's enough to frighten anyone to death."

On the front cover of the book it showed a black dog large as a bear, with gleaming eyes. It looked oddly familiar…

The manager pressed a copy of _Unfogging the Future_ into Harry and Alicia's hands. "Anything else?" he said.

"Yes," said Harry, tearing his eyes away from the dog's and dazedly consulting his booklist. "Er — I need _Intermediate Transfiguration_ and _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three._ "

"Me too…" Alicia muttered. She knew that was the dog they'd seen…

The manager grabbed the books for them and Harry paid. He then waited another twenty minutes or so for all of Alicia's books to be piled up on the desk.

"I warn you, there's another coming in who's going to need the same." Alicia admitted as she paid for all the books.

The two made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron, Harry with his books under his arm and Alicia with her's piled in front of her face, looking around them to find where she was going.

They tramped up the stairs to their room, went inside, and Harry tipped his books onto his bed. Alicia stacked her neatly on the desk in the room.

Somebody had been in to tidy; the windows were open and sun was pouring inside. The buses rolling by in the unseen Muggle street behind them could be heard and the sound of the invisible crowd below in Diagon Alley.

"It can't have been a death omen," Harry said and Alicia turned to see him looking at himself in the mirror. "I was panicking when I saw that thing in Magnolia Crescent… It was probably just a stray dog…"

"Do you want me to interject?" Alicia asked as she read over the books, making sure we had them all.

"Not really…" Harry mumbled.

"Look, we _did_ see a giant dog, but that _doesn't_ mean we're going to die. I mean Dobby thought you were going to die too when you went to Hogwarts last year and yet here you are." Alicia said simply before she folded up her book list and set it down on the desk.

Harry raised his hand automatically and tried to make his hair lie flat.

"You're fighting a losing battle there, dear," said his mirror in a wheezy voice. Alicia chuckled

"Listen, she knows what she's talking about." Harry shot her an annoyed look and Alicia raised her hands in defence.

* * *

To Alicia's delight Hogwarts students began to file into Diagon Alley as the days rolled by. She and Harry had their eyes open for Hermione and Ron. They two had already met Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, their fellow Gryffindors, in Quality Quidditch Supplies, where they too were ogling the Firebolt; they also ran into the real Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, forgetful boy, outside Flourish and Blotts. They didn't stop to chat; Neville appeared to have mislaid his booklist and was being told off by his very formidable-looking grandmother.

It wasn't until the last day of holidays that they found the two around lunch time. Well Ron and Hermione found them.

"Alicia! Harry!"

They were there, both of them, sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour — Ron looking incredibly freckly Hermione very brown, both waving frantically at them.

"Finally!" said Ron, grinning

"Where have you two been!?" Alicia demanded but she was grinning as the two sat down.

"We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and —" Ron rambled

"Wow, you really ran around." Alicia smiled

"We got all our school stuff last week," Harry explained. "And how come you knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Dad," said Ron simply.

Mr. Weasley, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, would of course have heard the whole story of what had happened to Aunt Marge.

"Did you _really_ blow up your aunt, Harry?" said Hermione in a very serious voice.

Alicia snickered which caused Ron to roar with laughter.

"I didn't mean to," said Harry "I just — lost control."

"I don't blame him, she was one fowl women. I'm surprised I didn't blow her up." Alicia shrugged

"Are you sure it was Harry then?" Hermione asked, her eyes narrow

"Yes, I was too busy insulting her when she started exploding." Alicia grinned and held her arm up for Ron to high-five as he laughed.

"It's not funny, Ron," said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."

"So am I," admitted Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looked at Ron.

"You should of seen how paranoid he was." Alicia rolled her eyes "Personally I didn't think the Ministry would expel him for an accident." she sighed

"But…?" Hermione

"But then we met Fudge and he was acting strange."

"What do you mean?"

"He was worried about Harry, didn't want him wondering. Got very jittery when Sirius Black was mentioned—"

"Why was Sirius Black mentioned?" Ron asked

"Harry asked if they'd caught him." Alicia shrugged and Harry nodded

"Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?" Harry asked Ron

"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to _me_ if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!" Hermione nodded, beaming.

"Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."

"Excellent!" Alicia and Harry chorused happily.

"So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"

"Look at this," said Ron, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books —" He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those _Monster Books,_ eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."

"You should have seen how relieved he was when Harry and I said we already had them." Alicia chuckled.

"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked, pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.

"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I?" said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies —"

"Come on, it's no different from my stack of books." Alicia rolled her eyes "I could hardly see as I walked to the Leaky Cauldron, I didn't ask for a beg." Alicia admitted

"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes at Harry. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! And Alicia you grew up with Muggles! You both already know all about Muggles!"

"That's what I said." Alicia nodded

"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly.

"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry, while Ron sniggered. Hermione ignored them. Alicia shot them both a look.

"Don't scold her, let her work it out on her own."

"And you?"

"I'm too easily persuaded apparently." Alicia muttered

"I've still got ten Galleons," Hermione said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."

"How about a nice _book_?" said Ron innocently.

"No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Alicia's got Noel, Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol —"

"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him."

Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.

"Well he is old right?" Alicia asked. Ron frowned.

"There's a magical creature shop just over there," said Harry, who knew Diagon Alley very well by now. "You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl."

So they paid for their ice cream and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie.

There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione waited, examining the cages.

A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there were cats of every colour, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-coloured furballs that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails.

"Which one would you like Hermione?" Alicia asked as she looked at the different owls. Hermione looked at them all as the double-ended newt wizard left, and Ron approached the counter.

"It's my rat," he told the witch. "He been a bit off-colour ever since I brought him back from Egypt."

"Bang him on the counter," said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.

Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better look.

Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was secondhand (he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy) and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone.

"Hm," said the witch, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"

"Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother."

"What powers does he have?" said the witch, examining Scabbers closely.

"Er —" The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly.

"He's been through the mill, this one," she said.

"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," said Ron defensively.

"An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," said the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these —"

She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again. Ron muttered, "Show-offs."

"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic," said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.

"Okay," said Ron. "How much — OUCH!"

Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.

"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.

"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; Harry followed.

Alicia quickly grabbed the large ginger cat and pulled him away from the door as he tried to follow. The cat's ginger fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bowlegged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had run headlong into a brick wall.

"Crookshanks, huh? You can't attack people's rats." she scolded as she stroked the animal. Now that Scabbers was gone he was quite happy in Alicia's arms.

"What an adorable cat." Hermione said standing beside Alicia, the two loving the cat with attention.

"You're the only one to think so." The store owner sighed

"How so?"

"He's been here for ages. Loves to get into trouble." she fixed her glasses from the small encounter

"Poor thing…" Hermione muttered

"He's probably bored." Alicia sighed "Does he go at your rats in the cage?" Alicia asked pointing to the skipping rats.

"Not normally. He might watch them."

"Maybe Crookshanks thought Scabbers was better off," Alicia shrugged. Hermione gave her a look before she smiled.

"I've had an idea." she said

"And that is…?" Alicia muttered

"Excuse me, how much for Crookshanks?" Hermione asked

"What happened to an owl?" Alicia wondered as she looked a the small tiger

"You and Harry have owls, and it's only over Summer that it's a real problem… how about something different. It says we're allowed cats." Hermione said

"Alright, well how about I by you an owl for a birthday or christmas later on down the track." Alicia shrugged "That is if Crookshanks wont eat it." Alicia smiled at the cat.

"Until then, just use Noel."

Hermione happily paid for the tiger and Alicia handed it over. The boys were walking back as they exited the shop.

"You _bought_ that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open.

"He's _gorgeous,_ isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing. Crookshanks was quite happy in Hermione's arms.  
"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron.  
"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione.

"He was just bored. Or maybe he thought you were other ginger." Alicia flicked a piece of Ron's hair as he looked at her annoyed. She only grinned

"And what about Scabbers?" said Ron, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"

"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic," said Hermione, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand. "And stop _worrying,_ Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours, what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him."

"I wonder why," said Ron sarcastically as they set off toward the Leaky Cauldron.

"I think he's lovely." Alicia said stroking the cat "Just lively." and Hermione nodded.

Alicia noticed the two boys share a look, Ron looking very disapproving.

They found Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar in the Leaky Cauldron, reading the _Daily Prophet._

"Harry!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?"

"Fine, thanks," said Harry as he, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione joined Mr. Weasley with all their shopping.

"Alicia, you alright?" he wondered

"Very much so." Alicia nodded with a smile

Mr. Weasley put down his paper, and the now familiar picture of Sirius Black was staring up at them.

"They still haven't caught him, then?" Harry asked.

"No," said Mr. Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money —"

"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words."

"Then again, with our luck I wouldn't be surprised if we ran into Black accidentally." Alicia muttered to the three.

At that moment Mrs. Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping bags and followed by the twins, Fred and George, who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts; the newly elected Head Boy, Percy; and the Weasleys' youngest child and only girl, Ginny.

"Ginny!" Alicia cried and ran to hug the small girl. In the last year Ginny had become very much like a sister to her.

The fiery haired girl hugged her back gratefully, the two exchanged greetings and then Ginny spotted Harry. Ginny, who had always been very taken with Harry, seemed even more heartily embarrassed than usual when she saw him, perhaps because he had saved her life during their previous year at Hogwarts.

"Still embarrassed?" Alicia wondered, Ginny glanced at Harry and nodded mutely before she left, looking very red and muttered "hello" without looking at Harry as she walked past. Percy, however, held out his hand solemnly as though he and Harry had never met and said, "Harry. How nice to see you."

"Hello, Percy," said Harry, trying not to laugh.

"I hope you're well?" said Percy pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor.

"Very well, thanks —"

"Harry!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply _splendid_ to see you, old boy —"

"Marvellous," said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."

"Couldn't think of a better reunion place, looking forward to your next year?" Alicia asked appearing next to George.

Percy scowled.

"That's enough, now," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Mum!" said Fred as though he'd only just spotted her and seizing her hand too. "How really corking to see you —"

"I said, that's enough," said Mrs. Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair.

Alicia held her hands up and the two twins high fifed her in sync.

"Lovely to see you twins." she said nodding

"Oh how delightful it is to run into you here." George said to her.

"You are looking very dashing." Fred nodded.

Mrs Weasley shot the twins a look before looking at Alicia and smiling.

"Alicia sweetie, hello. How are you?" she wondered

"Very well Mrs Weasley, and you?" Alicia asked

"Oh…" she smiled and placed a hand on Percy's shoulder before turning to Harry.

"Hello, Harry, dear. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride.

"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.

"I don't doubt that," said Mrs. Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects."

"What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."

"You'd have to be role models and follow the rules and everything's expected of you." Alicia exasperated.

Ginny giggled.

"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.

"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily.

"Like himself." Alicia muttered to the twins who smirked

"I'm going up to change for dinner…" Percy disappeared and George heaved a sigh.

"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told Harry and Alicia. "But Mum spotted us."

"You've lost your skill boys." Alicia shook her head in disappointment.

Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlour, and the seven Weasleys, Alicia, Harry, and Hermione ate their way through five delicious courses.

"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as they dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.

"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley. Everyone looked up at him.

"Why?" said Percy curiously.

"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them —"

"— for Humongous Bighead," said Fred.

Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.

"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.

"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," said Mr. Weasley, "— and as I work there, they're doing me a favour —"

Alicia eyed Mr Weasley and nudged Harry who was next to him, though his voice was casual, Alicia noticed that Mr. Weasley's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under pressure.

"If you ask me this is even more reason for me to be right." she muttered.

"Good thing, too," said Mrs. Weasley briskly. "Do you realise how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground… You are all packed, aren't you?"

"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy, in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."

"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley called down the table. Ron scowled at Percy.

After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. Ron and Percy were next door to Alicia and Harry. Harry had just closed and locked his own trunk and Alicia had checked over hers for the millionth time when they heard angry voices through the wall, and went to see what was going on.

The door of number twelve was ajar and Percy was shouting.

"It was _here,_ on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing —"

"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back.

"What's up?" said Harry.

"My Head Boy badge is gone," said Percy, rounding on Harry.

"So's Scabbers's rat tonic," said Ron, throwing things out of his trunk to look. "I think I might've left it in the bar —"

"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" yelled Percy.

"I'll get Scabbers's stuff, I'm packed," Harry said to Ron, and he went downstairs.

"Percy," Alicia began and the head-boy looked at her fuming "I think you'll find the twins have it." Percy looked at her

"Ron knows better not to touch your prized badge," she shot Ron a look "But we all know the twins love to mess with you. Go find them." she shrugged "I'll go find Harry."

Alicia found Harry halfway along the passage to the bar and close to the parlour door.

"What are you doing?" Alicia whispered making Harry jump. He put his finger to his mouth and Alicia turned her ear to listen. Mr and Mrs Weasley's voices were coming from inside.

"… makes no sense not to tell him," Mr. Weasley was saying heatedly. "Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and —"

"Arthur, the truth would terrify him!" said Mrs. Weasley shrilly. "Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him? For heaven's sake, he's _happy_ not knowing!"

"I don't want to make him miserable, I want to put him on his guard!" retorted Mr. Weasley. "You know what Alicia, Harry and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves — they've even ended up in the Forbidden Forest! But Harry mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him."

"But he's _not_ dead, he's fine, so what's the point —"

"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been a month, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the _Daily Prophet,_ we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after —"

"But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."

"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."

"But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry —"

Alicia and Harry shared a startled look.

"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts… he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power. Black lost everything the night Harry stopped You-Know-Who, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that…"

There was a silence. Harry leaned still closer to the door, desperate to hear more.

"Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt Harry at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's headmaster. I suppose he knows about all this?"

"Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed."

"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?"

"Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards," said Mr. Weasley heavily. "Nor am I, if it comes to that… but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid."

"If they save Harry —"

"— then I will never say another word against them," said Mr. Weasley wearily. "It's late, Molly, we'd better go up…"

Harry moved quietly down the passage to the bar while Alicia moved back to Ron and Percy's room.

Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they listened to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in search of his badge.

"We've got it," Fred whispered to Alicia "We've been improving it."

The badge now read _Bighead Boy._

"I knew you did." Alicia rolled her eyes before turning into her room.

She waited until Harry appeared and locked the door behind him.

"So I was half right." Alicia whispered, determined not to let Percy and Ron next door hear them as she sat on the bed next to Harry, the two lying top to tail. "It is because of Black but it's because Black's after you…"

"And why he wouldn't let me out of Diagon Alley…"

"Or to Hogsmeade…"

"But why didn't he treat you the same?" Harry wondered "I mean Fudge knows about you…"

"Maybe Black doesn't know I'm alive and they want to keep it that way…" Alicia shrugged "He was just saying ' _he's_ at Hogwarts'." she repeated

"I'm never getting to Hogsmeade now."

"Don't be such a downer, it's only a village."

"You believe that?" Harry asked

"Mostly. I'm not going either you know, and I bet Dumbledore and Fudge will be happy about that." Alicia sighed "Plenty of time for all my subjects." she muttered

"I can't believe you're doing so many."

"I can't believe you find that surprising." Alicia rolled her eyes

"Hey…" Harry muttered "Do you think this dog had to do with Sirus Black?"

"The death omen?" Alicia asked annoyed "Come on Harry. Remember what the shop owner said, 'you start seeing death omens everywhere'. You can't just see a big dog and decide that's it. I mean we didn't even read up on the omen properly." Alicia rambled

"I'm _not_ going to be murdered," Harry said out loud, though it sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

"That's the spirit, dear," said the mirror sleepily.

Alicia rolled her eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Tom woke Alicia and Harry up, a cup of tea in his hand and a smile on his toothless grin. The two were up and dressed, Harry had to persuade a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage. She seemed far more willing when Noel went first, Alicia mentioning Hogwarts making her much more willing.

Ron suddenly banged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable.

"The sooner we get on the train, the better," he said. "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know," Ron grimaced, "his _girlfriend._ She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy…"

"I've got something to tell you," Harry began, but they were interrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again.

"We'll tell you when we get a quiet moment." Alicia whispered to Ron.

They headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley was reading the front page of the _Daily Prophet_ with a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she'd made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly. Alicia sighed and told them if they were that giggly they should go find real love instead.

"What were you saying?" Ron asked Harry as they sat down.

"Later," Harry muttered as Percy stormed in.

Neither Alicia or Harry had the chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving; they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig, Noel and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly.

"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork. "I'll let you out on the train."

"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?"

He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket.

"The best way for them to settle their differences." Alicia shrugged and she petted Crookshanks' cage. "We can't put him in the cargo hold."

Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside.

"They're here," he said. "Harry, come on."

Harry grabbed Alicia's hand as Mr. Weasley marched him across the short stretch of pavement toward the first of two old-fashioned dark green cars, each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard wearing a suit of emerald velvet.

"In you get, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street.

Alicia sighed and got in beside him. They were shortly joined by Hermione, Ron, and, to Ron's disgust, Percy.

The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful compared with the Knight Bus. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary, though Alicia noticed that they could slide through gaps that most cars certainly couldn't have managed. They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats in salute to Mr. Weasley, and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving line at the traffic lights.

Mr. Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow all the way into the station.

"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry." Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry, he leaned casually against the barrier.

Alicia sighed and shared a look with Harry before nodding. Harry imitated him.

Alicia went through with Ginny, both pushing their trolly, quickly followed by Hermione and Percy. The Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, was puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train.

"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again. Ginny caught Harry's eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter, Alicia however was chuckling openly as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge.

Once the remaining Weasleys had joined them, Harry and Ron led the way to the end of the train, past packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. They loaded the trunks onto it, stowed Noel, Hedwig and Crookshanks in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, then Alicia and finally, Harry. He was embarrassed, but really quite pleased, when she gave him an extra hug.

"Do take care, won't you, Harry?" she said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. "I'm not letting him out of my sight." Alicia said hooking her arm through Harry's with a smile. Mrs Weasley didn't seem to know whether to be pleased or not. But she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches… Here you are, Ron… no, they're not corned beef… Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are, dear…"

"Harry," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "come over here a moment."

He jerked his head toward a pillar, and Harry followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs. Weasley.

"There's something I've got to tell you before you leave —" said Mr. Weasley, in a tense voice.

"It's all right, Mr. Weasley," said Harry. "I already know."

"You know? How could you know?"

"I — er — I heard you and Mrs. Weasley talking last night. I couldn't help hearing," Harry added quickly. "Sorry —"

"That's not the way I'd have chosen for you to find out," said Mr. Weasley, looking anxious.

"No — honestly, it's okay. This way, you haven't broken your word to Fudge and I know what's going on."

"Harry, you must be very scared —"

"I'm not," said Harry sincerely. " _Really,_ " he added, because Mr. Weasley was looking disbelieving.

"Obviously you haven't met Harry." Alicia said appearing, Mr Weasley looked worried.

"Alicia,"

"Mr Weasley, I think there's something you need to know." Alicia admitted "Seeing as you're worrying about Harry," she glanced at Harry and took a deep breath "Did Black say anything about me?"

"You? Why would he?"

"Well because I'm actually Alicia Potter." Alicia whispered. Mr Weasley looked at her surprised "You know, Harry's 'dead or alive?' sister."

"Harry's not alone Mr Weasley." she looked at Harry who nodded "And probably to a few people's delight, I'm not going to Hogsmeade either."

"I'm not trying to be a hero, but seriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Voldemort, can he?" Harry said

Mr. Weasley flinched at the sound of the name but overlooked it.

"Harry, I knew you were, well, made of stronger stuff than Fudge seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're not scared, but —"

"Try to stay out of trouble?" Alicia asked with a smile.

"Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, who was now shepherding the rest onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!"

"He's coming, Molly!" said Mr. Weasley but he turned back to Harry and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice. "Listen, I want you to give me your word —"

"— that I'll be a good boy and stay in the castle?" said Harry gloomily.

"Not entirely," said Mr. Weasley, who looked more serious than either twins had ever seen him. "Harry, swear to me you won't go _looking_ for Black."

Harry stared.

"What?" he and Alicia chorused

There was a loud whistle. Guards were walking along the train, slamming all the doors shut.

"Promise me, Harry," said Mr. Weasley, talking more quickly still, "that whatever happens —"

"Why would I go looking for someone I know wants to kill me?" said Harry blankly.

"Swear to me that whatever you might hear —"

"Arthur, quickly!" cried Mrs. Weasley.

Steam was billowing from the train; it had started to move.

"Crap!" Alicia grabbed Harry and dragged him to the compartment door and Ron threw it open and stood back to let them on. They leaned out of the window and waved at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view.

"I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed.

"Go away, Ginny," said Ron.

"Ron!"

"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off.

Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train.

This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione checked on the threshold. The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food cart.

The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with grey.

"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats farthest away from the window.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," whispered Hermione at once.

"How d'you know that?"

"It's on his case," she replied, pointing at the luggage rack over the man's head, where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name _Professor R. J. Lupin_ was stamped across one corner in peeling letters.

"Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile.

"Come on Ron." Alicia sighed

"That's obvious," whispered Hermione. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defence Against the Dark Arts."

Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione had already had two Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had lasted only one year. There were rumours that the job was jinxed.

"Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. "He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? Anyway…" He turned to Harry. "What were you going to tell us?"

"You might not like it," Alicia warned with a sigh.

Harry explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's argument and the warning Mr. Weasley had just given him. When he'd finished, Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. She finally lowered them to say, "Sirius Black escaped to come after _you_? Oh, Harry… you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble, Harry —"

"I don't go looking for trouble," said Harry, nettled.

"Since when do we look for trouble?" Alicia asked, but it was a stupid question and by the look Hermione was giving her, she believed it too.

"Trouble usually finds _me._ "

"How thick would Harry have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him?" said Ron shakily.

"You two are such scaredy cats, after everything we've done so far." Alicia rolled her eyes. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than she or Harry was.

"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner too."

"But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him too…"

"What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly.

A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. They looked all around the compartment.

"It's coming from your trunk, Harry," said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled the Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Harry's robes. It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand and glowing brilliantly.

"Is that a _Sneakoscope_?" said Hermione interestedly, standing up for a better look.

"Yeah… mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron said. "It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Harry."

"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" said Hermione shrewdly.

"No! Well… I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys…"

"I'll say he was unconscious when he got to Harry's room." Alicia scolded "Hedwig and a Hogwarts owl had to carry him."

"But how else was I supposed to get both your presents to you?" Ron asked

"Stick it back in the trunk," Harry advised as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly, "or it'll wake him up." He nodded toward Professor Lupin. Ron stuffed the Sneakoscope into a particularly horrible pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks, which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it.

"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," said Ron, sitting back down. "They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Banges, magical instruments and stuff. Fred and George told me."

"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" asked Hermione keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain —"

"Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way,

Alicia and Harry shared a gloomy look.

"but that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!"

"What's that?" said Hermione.

"It's this sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, "where they've got _everything…_ Pepper Imps — they make you smoke at the mouth — and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills, which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next —"

"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione pressed on eagerly. "In _Sites of Historical Sorcery_ it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain —"

"— and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying.

Hermione looked around at Harry and Alicia.

"Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?"

" 'Spect it will," said Harry heavily. "You'll have to tell us when you've found out."

"What d'you mean?" said Ron.

"We can't go." Alicia shrugged

"The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form, and Fudge wouldn't either."

"And I spent and entire week with Harry after getting mine, making the resolve not to get it signed until he did. After all, signing his form was going to be a bigger challenge." Alicia admitted

Ron looked horrified.

" _You're not allowed to come_? But — no way — McGonagall or someone will give you permission —"

Harry gave a hollow laugh. Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House, was very strict.

"— or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle —"

"Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of school with Black on the loose —"

"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask for permission," said Harry bitterly.

"That's what _anyone_ will say if we ask permission." Alicia corrected

"But if _we're_ with him," said Ron spiritedly to Hermione, "Black wouldn't dare —"

"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street. Do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry just because _we're_ there?"

She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks's basket as she spoke.

"Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away.

"Get out of here!"

"Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily.

Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred.

They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.

Alicia grabbed Crookshanks and the cat settled down quite happily in her lap, however his yellow eyes were on Ron's pocket, never moving.

The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened. People were chasing backward and forward past the door of their compartment.

At one o'clock, the plump witch with the food cart arrived at the compartment door.

"D'you think we should wake him up?" Ron asked awkwardly, nodding toward Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food."

Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously.

"Er — Professor?" she said. "Excuse me — Professor?"

He didn't move.

"Don't worry, dear," said the witch as she handed Harry a large stack of Cauldron Cakes and Alicia some liquorice wands "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver."

"I suppose he _is_ asleep?" said Ron quietly as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean — he hasn't died, has he?"

"No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione, taking the Cauldron Cake Harry passed her.

He might not be very good company, but Professor Lupin's presence in their compartment had its uses. Midafternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps in the corridor again, and their three least favourite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

Draco Malfoy and Harry had been enemies ever since they had met on their very first train journey to Hogwarts. Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face, was in Slytherin House; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the same position that Harry played on the Gryffindor team. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and muscly; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla-ish arms.

Alicia's favourite thing for the three was practicing her charms, jinxes, curses and hexes on them. Of which had all been successful so far.

"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and the Weasel."

"Oh how mature." Alicia rolled her eyes

Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly.

"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Did your mother die of shock?"

Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort as Alicia grabbed Ron.

"Who's that?" said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backward as he spotted Lupin.

"New teacher," said Harry, who got to his feet, too, in case he needed to hold Ron back. "What were you saying, Malfoy?"

Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose.

"C'mon," he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared.

Harry and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles.

"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and —"

Ron made a violent gesture in midair.

"Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, "be _careful…_ "

But Professor Lupin was still fast asleep.

"No I'm with Ron." Alicia nodded "I need some spell to put him in the hospital wing for most of Quidditch season." she thought.

The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering grey, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.

"We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window.

The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down.

"Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast…"

"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.

"It's too early…" Alicia agreed confused

"So why're we stopping?"

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.

Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments.

The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.

"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from somewhere to Alicia's right.

"Ouch!" gasped Hermione from beside Alicia. "Ron, that was my foot!" Alicia felt Harry move as he found his seat in the darkness again.

"D'you think we've broken down?"

"Dunno…"

"I have a feeling that the Hogwarts express wouldn't be normal enough to break down." Alicia confessed

"Then what?"

"Maybe something's interfering with it…" Alicia muttered worried

There was a squeaking sound, and the dim black outline of Ron was wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.

"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard…"

"Am I the only one with a bad feeling?" Alicia whispered. She felt like something wasn't right, and that she needed her wand gripped tight in her hand.

The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Harry's legs.

"Sorry — d'you know what's going on? — Ouch — sorry —"

"Hullo, Neville," said Harry, Alicia watched as Harry's very dim outline felt around in the dark and pulled Neville up by his cloak.

"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?"

"No idea — sit down —"

There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Alicia who still had Crookshanks.

"Neville." Alicia hissed

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. Alicia heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain.

"Who's that?"

"Who's _that_?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for Ron —"

"Come in and sit down —"

"Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. " _I'm_ here!"

"Ouch!" said Neville.

"Ginny." Alicia grabbed the familiar fabric of Mrs Weasley's knitted clothes and pulled Ginny down beside her.

"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.

Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. Alicia could hear movements in his corner. None of them spoke.

There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired, grey face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.

"Stay where you are," he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.

But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it.

Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Alicia quickly noticed the hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, greyish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water…

She and Harry shared a look and then back at the hooded figure. The hand was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Harry and Alicia's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak.

And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.

An intense cold swept over them all. Alicia felt her breath hitch. The cold went deeper than her skin, her chest, through her stomach and was inside her very heart…

She suddenly couldn't see, she felt like she was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in her ears as though of water. Roaring growing louder as she felt like she was plummeting…

And then, from far away, she heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. Alicia had no idea who it was, but she wanted to help, she felt like it was familiar… but she couldn't move, it was like her mind was clouded by a thick white fog.

"Alicia! Alicia!"

In the distance she heard someone shouting for Harry too.

"Alicia wake up!" It was Hermione.

"Are you alright!?" Ginny's voice followed.

Alicia peeled open her eyes to see Hermione and Ginny standing over her, Neville and Ron were peering over Harry and both twins were on the floor. Professor Lupin was standing glancing at the two,

Everyone was white faced and looked worried.

Alicia felt sick. Her face felt sticky and slick with sweat and Ginny handed her a handkerchief.

"Thanks…" she whispered, taking it and covering her face quickly.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously. She heard movement as Harry was helped back into his seat.

"Yeah," said Harry

"God I feel awful." Alicia breathed from behind the handkerchief. She moved it to look up and Harry was staring at the door. The hooded figure was gone, the lights were on and the train was moving again.

"What happened? Where's that — that thing? Who screamed?"

"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.

"But I heard screaming —"

"Someone screamed." Alicia muttered as she very slowly, with Hermione and Ginny's help, got up and sat beside Harry.

Everyone looked at the two before a loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," he said to Alicia and Harry, handing them a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help."

Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it. Alicia however took a bite and immediately felt better, warmth spread to her fingers and toes and her stomach stopped churning.

"What was that thing?" Harry asked Lupin.

"A dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the dementors of Azkaban."

Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.

"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me…"

He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.

"Are you sure you two are okay?" said Hermione, watching Harry anxiously.

"Yeah…" Alicia muttered, but she was confused… what happened?

Harry apparently thought the same.

"I don't get it… What happened?" said Harry, wiping more sweat off his face.

"Well — that thing — the dementor — stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) — and you — you both —"

"I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You both went sort of rigid and fell out of your seats and started twitching —"

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away…"

"It was horrible," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"

"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again…"

Ginny, who was huddled next to Alicia, looking nearly as bad as she felt, gave a small sob; Hermione put a comforting arm around her.

"But didn't any of you — fall off your seats?" said Harry awkwardly.

"No," said Ron, looking anxiously at Harry again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though…"

"Why us?" Alicia muttered taking another bite of the chocolate, she felt better with each bite.

No one answered her, but glanced at one another just as confused.

Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know…"

"It really helps guys, makes you feel warm." Alicia admitted, Harry took a bite.

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you all right, Harry?"

"Fine," he muttered, embarrassed.

"Alicia?" Lupin wondered. Alicia looked up at him surprised, everyone knew Harry, but…

"Yeah. I'm good. Thanks." she answered, smiling shortly.  
They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.

"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.

"All righ', you four?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, they could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession.

The coach smelled faintly of mould and straw. Alicia stared out the window, trying to ignore the looks from Ron and Hermione, who kept looking at her and Harry sideways, as though frightened they might collapse again.

As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Alicia felt a wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf her again. Outside on either side of the columns were more dementors. She took a deep breath as the carriage passed them, trying to ignore the cold feeling. The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out.

As Alicia and Harry stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded.

"You _fainted,_ Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually _fainted_?"

Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"

Alicia was about to shoot Malfoy into the castle wall when another voice spoke up.

"Is there a problem?" Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage.

Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no — er — _Professor,_ " then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.

Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the four of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; they followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Evans! Potter! Granger! I want to see you!"

Alicia, Harry and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern-looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. They fought their way through the crowd to her.

"There's no need to look so worried — I just want a word in my office," she told them. "Move along there, Weasley."

Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Harry, Alicia and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor.

Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Harry, Alicia and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Evans, Potter."

Before Harry could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.

Harry went red and Alicia hung her head with an annoyed sigh.

"I feel bad enough." Alicia muttered

"I'm fine," he said, "I don't need anything —"

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at him. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?" she turned to Alicia who couldn't blame Madam Pomfrey from saying that. They spent a collected amount of time in the hospital wing.

"It was a dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.

They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.

"Setting dementors around a school," she muttered, pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead. "They won't be the last who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate —"

"I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly.

"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking Alicia's pulse.

"What do they need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should they perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"

"No!" Alicia disagreed

"I'm _fine_!" said Harry, jumping up.

"I'm not staying in the hospital wing on my first night." Alicia said strongly

"Well, they should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes.

"We've already had some," said Harry. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us."

"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"

"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.

" _Yes_ ," said Harry.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Evans and Miss Granger about their course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."

Harry went outside with Madam Pomfrey and Alicia and Hermione turned to McGonagall.

"We were luckily able to get you both one of these." she pulled out a thin gold chain of a necklace, hanging on it was an hourglass.

"Two?" Alicia asked surprised. She knew what the device was, they were called Time-Turners.

"Yes well, you both travelling together could draw a little attention, though every now and then it would be alright." she said strongly "But you are not to use it for anything other then classes! And you cannot redo classes you messed up!" McGonagall said strongly "You must not be seen by anyone, especially if there are two of you in the same place. You must not be seen by yourself. Terrible things happen to those who mess with time." Alicia and Hermione nodded strongly and both took the gold chains from her.

"No one else is to know about this." Professor McGonagall added "You are not to tell anyone, including Mr Weasley and Mr Potter." she looked at the two very seriously and they nodded.

"Thank you Professor." Alicia nodded.

The three of them exited the room to find Harry waiting before the four of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall.

It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in mid-air. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall.

"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!"

"Again." Alicia sighed.

New students at Hogwarts were sorted into Houses by trying on the Sorting Hat, which shouted out the House they were best suited to (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin). Professor McGonagall strode off toward her empty seat at the staff table, and Harry, Alicia and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry. Had the story of his collapsing in front of the dementor traveled that fast? Alicia was glad not everyone knew who she was but she was much better at ignoring it then Harry was.

She, Harry and Hermione sat down, Harry and Hermione on either side of Ron and and Alicia opposite next to Ginny.

"What was all that about?" he muttered to Harry.

Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and he broke off.

Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why Alicia trusted and respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast…"

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

He paused, and Alicia remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the dementors guarding the school.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Alicia, Harry and Ron glanced at each other. "It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors," he said.

Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Alicia, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.

"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.

"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.

"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed

Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts job, but Alicia was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. It was beyond anger: it was loathing. Alicia knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry.

"I think there might be something personal going on there." Alicia muttered and Ron raised an eyebrow

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Alicia could see Hagrid, who was ruby-red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

"Why else would he know to _send_ us a biting book." Alicia grinned.

Alicia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Alicia, having missed Hogwarts foods and being starving, ate everything.

It was a delicious feast; the hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year for a crime he had not committed. It had been Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year.

At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance.

"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed as they reached the teachers' table.

"All down ter you four," said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them. "Can' believe it… great man, Dumbledore… came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough… It's what I always wanted…"

"Ohh, what's on for the first lesson?!" Alicia wondered excitedly, but Hagrid, overcome with emotion, had buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall was shooing them away.

Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower. A large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"

"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's 'Fortuna Major'!"

"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords.

Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases. Alicia climbed the stairway with Hermione and grinned at entering their dormitory. She collapsed onto her usual bed happily and Crookshanks jumped up onto her stomach.

"I still need to change Crookshanks." she smiled and picked up the cat. She gave him a good scratch behind the ear and realised him. The cat jumped immediately onto Hermione's bed and curled up.

Alicia changed and climbed under her crisp sheets happily.

"Night Alicia."

"Night Hermione."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

When Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story. As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter.

"Ignore him," said Hermione, who was right behind Harry. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it…"

"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. "Potter! The dementors are coming, Potter! _Woooooooo_!"

Alicia spun around with her wand to hit the already ugly girl with a stinging jinx when Ron grabbed her and pulled her away.

Harry dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley and Alicia, still brooding, sat next to him.

"New third-year course schedules," said George, passing them over. "What's up with you, Harry?"

"Malfoy," said Ron, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table.

George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.

"That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"

"Nearly wet himself," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy.

"I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those dementors…"

"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred.

"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Harry in a low voice.

"Forget it, Harry," said George bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking… They suck the happiness out of a place, dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

"As per usual." Alicia grinned, now excited "Going to push him off his broom." she said

The only time Harry and Malfoy had faced each other in a Quidditch match, Malfoy had definitely come off worse.

Hermione was examining her new schedule.

"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," she said happily.

"Really?" Alicia asked, she looked at her timetable and her lips began to move as she read over it.

"Hermione," said Ron, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, "they've messed up your schedule. Look — they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough _time._ "

"I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall. Right Alicia?"

"Genius that women." Alicia nodded with a grin

"But look," said Ron, laughing, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And" — Ron leaned closer to the schedule, disbelieving — " _look_ — underneath that, Arithmancy, _nine o'clock._ I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's _that_ good. Alicia, hows yours?" Ron snatched it and looked surprised.

"Yours it the exact same!"

"So?"

"So how're you supposed to be in three classes at once?"

"Don't be silly," said Hermione shortly. "Of course we won't be in three classes at once."

"Well, then —"

"Pass the marmalade," said Hermione.

"But —"

"Oh, Ron, what's it to you if our schedules' are a bit full?" Hermione snapped. "I told you, Alicia and I have fixed it all with Professor McGonagall." Just then, Hagrid entered the Great Hall. He was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absentmindedly swinging a dead polecat from one enormous hand.

"All righ'?" he said eagerly, pausing on the way to the staff table. "Yer in my firs' ever lesson! Right after lunch! Bin up since five gettin' everythin' ready… Hope it's okay… Me, a teacher… hones'ly…"

"You're going to be great Hagrid." Alicia grinned

He grinned broadly at them and headed off to the staff table, still swinging the polecat.

"Wonder what he's been getting ready?" said Ron, a note of anxiety in his voice.

"Just as long as it's not another dragon." Alicia muttered.

The hall was starting to empty as people headed off toward their first lesson. Ron checked his course schedule.

"We'd better go, look, Divination's at the top of North Tower. It'll take us ten minutes to get there…"

They finished their breakfasts hastily, said good-bye to Fred and George, and walked back through the hall. As they passed the Slytherin table, Malfoy did yet another impression of a fainting fit. The shouts of laughter followed them into the entrance hall.

The journey through the castle to the North Tower was a long one. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle, and they had never been inside the North Tower before.

"There's — got — to — be — a — shortcut," Ron panted as they climbed their seventh long staircase and emerged on an unfamiliar landing, where there was nothing but a large painting of a bare stretch of grass hanging on the stone wall.

"I think it's this way," said Hermione, peering down the empty passage to the right.

"Can't be," said Ron. "That's south, look, you can see a bit of the lake out of the window…"

"Aha!" Alicia jumped and turned to see a painting of a short, squat knight in armour in one of the paintings as he chased a small, fat, white pony. He yelled at the four upon seeing Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione. "What villains are these, that trespass upon my private lands! Come to scorn at my fall, perchance? Draw, you knaves, you dogs!"

They watched in astonishment as the little knight tugged his sword out of its scabbard and began brandishing it violently, hopping up and down in rage. But the sword was too long for him; a particularly wild swing made him overbalance, and he landed facedown in the grass.

Alicia snorted, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Are you all right?" said Harry, moving closer to the picture.

"Get back, you scurvy braggart! Back, you rogue!"  
The knight seized his sword again and used it to push himself back up, but the blade sank deeply into the grass and, though he pulled with all his might, he couldn't get it out again. Finally, he had to flop back down onto the grass and push up his visor to mop his sweating face.

"Listen," said Harry, taking advantage of the knight's exhaustion, "we're looking for the North Tower. You don't know the way, do you?"

"A quest!" The knight's rage seemed to vanish instantly. He clanked to his feet and shouted, "Come follow me, dear friends, and we shall find our goal, or else shall perish bravely in the charge!"

He gave the sword another fruitless tug, tried and failed to mount the fat pony, gave up, and cried, "On foot then, good sirs and gentle ladies! On! On!"

And he ran, clanking loudly, into the left side of the frame and out of sight.

They hurried after him along the corridor, following the sound of his armour. Every now and then they spotted him running through a picture ahead.

"Be of stout heart, the worst is yet to come!" yelled the knight, and they saw him reappear in front of an alarmed group of women in crinolines, whose picture hung on the wall of a narrow spiral staircase.

Puffing loudly, Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione climbed the tightly spiralling steps, getting dizzier and dizzier, until at last they heard the murmur of voices above them and knew they had reached the classroom.

"Farewell!" cried the knight, popping his head into a painting of some sinister-looking monks. "Farewell, my comrades-in-arms! If ever you have need of noble heart and steely sinew, call upon Sir Cadogan!"

"Yeah, we'll call you," muttered Ron as the knight disappeared, "if we ever need someone mental."

They climbed the last few steps and emerged onto a tiny landing, where most of the class was already assembled. There were no doors off this landing, but Ron pointed at the ceiling, where there was a circular trapdoor with a brass plaque on it.

"'Sibyll Trelawney, Divination teacher,'" Harry read. "How're we supposed to get up there?"

As though in answer to his question, the trapdoor suddenly opened, and a silvery ladder descended right at Harry's feet. Everyone got quiet.

"After you," said Ron, grinning, so Harry climbed the ladder first. Alicia followed and emerged into the strangest-looking classroom she had ever seen. In fact, it didn't look like a classroom at all, more like a cross between someone's attic and an old-fashioned tea shop. At least twenty small, circular tables were crammed inside it, all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and the many lamps were draped with dark red scarves. It was stiflingly warm, and the fire that was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, countless silvery crystal balls, and a huge array of teacups.

Ron appeared at Harry's shoulder as the class assembled around them, all talking in whispers.

"Remember when I said I didn't want to do this subject?" Alicia said to Hermione who appeared beside her. Hermione gave her a look.

"It can't hurt to try."

"I beg to differ." Alicia muttered.

"Where is she?" Ron said.

A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice.

"Welcome," it said. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last."

Alicia's immediate impression was of a large, glittering insect. Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl. Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings.

"Sit, my children, sit," she said, and they all climbed awkwardly into armchairs or sank onto poufs. Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione sat themselves around the same round table.

"Welcome to Divination," said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a winged armchair in front of the fire. "My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."

Nobody said anything to this extraordinary pronouncement. Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued, "So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you. Books can take you only so far in this field…"

At these words, both Harry and Ron glanced, grinning, at Hermione, who looked startled at the news that books wouldn't be much help in this subject.

"Can we quit yet?" Alicia whispered to her.

"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearings, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future," Professor Trelawney went on, her enormous, gleaming eyes moving from face to nervous face. "It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy," she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his pouf. "Is your grandmother well?"

"I think so," said Neville tremulously.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," said Professor Trelawney, the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings. Neville gulped. Professor Trelawney continued placidly. "We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading the tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," she shot suddenly at Parvati Patil, "beware a red-haired man."

Parvati gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her, and edged her chair away from him.

"In the second term," Professor Trelawney went on, "we shall progress to the crystal ball — if we have finished with fire omens, that is. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. I myself will lose my voice. And around Easter, two of our number will leave us forever."

"Two guesses who." Alicia said

"Who?" Harry asked

"Well I'm one of them and if books can't help her how long do you think Hermione'll last?" Alicia wondered "As if I'm putting up with this subject till Easter." she muttered, she turned to Hermione "I'm blaming you for that."

"Oh don't talk rubbish Alicia." Hermione snapped

A very tense silence followed this pronouncement, but Professor Trelawney seemed unaware of it.

"I wonder, dear," she said to Lavender Brown, who was nearest and shrank back in her chair, "if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?"

Lavender, looking relieved, stood up, took an enormous teapot from the shelf, and put it down on the table in front of Professor Trelawney.

"Thank you, my dear. Incidentally, that thing you are dreading — it will happen on Friday the sixteenth of October."

Lavender trembled.

"Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink, drink until only the dregs remain. Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer, wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of _Unfogging the Future._ I shall move among you, helping and instructing. Oh, and dear" — she caught Neville by the arm as he made to stand up — "after you've broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue patterned ones? I'm rather attached to the pink."

Sure enough, Neville had no sooner reached the shelf of teacups when there was a tinkle of breaking china. Professor Trelawney swept over to him holding a dustpan and brush and said, "One of the blue ones, then, dear, if you wouldn't mind… thank you…"

Alicia looked at Hermione.

"Oh come on it's Neville, of course he'd break something." Hermione said

"Yeah we know that, but how does she? She doesn't leave this sauna." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"If you're so interested why do you want to leave?"

"As much as telling the future seems to get under your skin, I don't fancy learning about tea leaves and crystal balls." Alicia answered simply.

Alicia and Hermione drank the tea with Harry and Ron and the boys swapped and went first.

"Right," said Ron as they both opened their books at pages five and six. "What can you see in mine?"

"A load of soggy brown stuff," said Harry.

"Broaden your minds, my dears, and allow your eyes to see past the mundane!" Professor Trelawney cried through the gloom.

Harry tried again.

"Right, you've got a crooked sort of cross…" He consulted _Unfogging the Future._ "That means you're going to have 'trials and suffering' — sorry about that — but there's a thing that could be the sun… hang on… that means 'great happiness'… so you're going to suffer but be very happy…"

"You need your Inner Eye tested, if you ask me," said Ron,

"Yeah that sounds like you and me." Alicia admitted to Harry, the three shared a look and they all had to stifle their laughs as Professor Trelawney gazed in their direction.

"My turn…" Ron peered into Harry's teacup, his forehead wrinkled with effort. "There's a blob a bit like a bowler hat," he said. "Maybe you're going to work for the Ministry of Magic. …"

He turned the teacup the other way up.  
"But this way it looks more like an acorn. . . . What's that?" He scanned his copy of _Unfogging the Future._ " 'A windfall, unexpected gold.' Excellent, you can lend me some… and there's a thing here," he turned the cup again, "that looks like an animal… yeah, if that was its head… it looks like a hippo… no, a sheep…"

Professor Trelawney whirled around as Harry let out a snort of laughter.

"Let me see that, my dear," she said reprovingly to Ron, sweeping over and snatching Harry's cup from him. Everyone went quiet to watch.

Professor Trelawney was staring into the teacup, rotating it counterclockwise.

"The falcon… my dear, you have a deadly enemy."

"But everyone knows _that,_ " said Hermione in a loud whisper. Professor Trelawney stared at her.

"Well, they do," said Hermione. "Everybody knows about Harry and You-Know-Who."

"Or Harry and Malfoy." Alicia smirked

Harry and Ron stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. They had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before. Professor Trelawney chose not to reply. She lowered her huge eyes to Harry's cup again and continued to turn it.

"The club… an attack. Dear, dear, this is not a happy cup…"

"No surprise there." Alicia sighed with a roll of the eyes.

"I thought that was a bowler hat," said Ron sheepishly.

"The skull… danger in your path, my dear…"

Everyone was staring, transfixed, at Professor Trelawney, who gave the cup a final turn, gasped, and then screamed.

There was another tinkle of breaking china; Neville had smashed his second cup. Professor Trelawney sank into a vacant armchair, her glittering hand at her heart and her eyes closed.

"My dear boy… my poor, dear boy… no… it is kinder not to say… no… don't ask me…"

"What is it, Professor?" said Dean Thomas at once. Everyone had got to their feet, and slowly they crowded around Harry and Ron's table, Alicia had the cup in her hand and was turning it around, noticing everything Trelawney had said before she stopped and looked at it.

"My dear," Professor Trelawney's huge eyes opened dramatically, "you have the Grim."

"The what?" said Harry.

"It looks like a dog—" Harry looked at Alicia as she spoke and everyone looked as Alicia groaned loudly and rolled her eyes.

"Really? A large black dog?" Alicia looked at Harry who held understanding.

The grim must have been the large dog. Other then Dean Thomas who shrugged and Lavender Brown who looked puzzled, nearly everybody else had clapped their hands to their mouths in horror.

Alicia put the cup down with a loud clank.

"The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that Harry hadn't understood. "The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen — the worst omen — of _death_!"

That dog on the cover of _Death Omens_ in Flourish and Blotts — the dog in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent… Lavender Brown clapped her hands to her mouth too. Everyone was looking at Harry, everyone except Hermione, who had gotten up and taken the cup to look at it also.

" _I_ don't think it looks like a Grim," she said flatly. Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike.

"You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive very little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future."

Seamus Finnigan was tilting his head from side to side.

"It looks like a Grim if you do this," he said, with his eyes almost shut, "but it looks more like a donkey from here," he said, leaning to the left.

"When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!" said Harry, taking even himself by surprise. Now nobody seemed to want to look at him.

"You're not going to die Harry. How many times have we had this conversation? Twice now. You've evaded death three times, I don't think it's going to happen any time soon." Alicia thought

"But how many times can a person evade death?" Lavender asked

"He's Harry Potter, 'the boy who lived'. Plenty of times." Alicia shrugged simply. "Someone look at my cup, if I don't have a grim when he's not going to die." Alicia assured. Lavender took her cup

"I can't make one out," The cup went around the class but no one seemed to see a dog.

"See." Alicia said to Harry.

"But how do you help him?"

"I've been through every hardship he has." Alicia admitted.

"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest voice, cutting through the discussion. "Yes… please pack away your things…"

Silently the class took their teacups back to Professor Trelawney, packed away their books, and closed their bags.

"Until we meet again," said Professor Trelawney faintly, "fair fortune be yours. Oh, and dear" — she pointed at Neville — "you'll be late next time, so mind you work extra-hard to catch up."

Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione descended Professor Trelawney's ladder and the winding stair in silence, then set off for Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration lesson.

It took them so long to find her classroom that, early as they had left Divination, they were only just in time.

The class kept shooting furtive glances at Harry so he, Alicia, Hermione and Ron all sat at the back of the class. McGonagall was was telling them about Animagi (wizards who could transform at will into animals), and she transformed herself in front of their eyes into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes.

"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint _pop,_ and staring around at them all. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got an applause from a class."

Everybody's heads turned toward Harry again, but nobody spoke. Alicia rolled her eyes and Hermione raised her hand.

"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and —"

"Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"

Everyone stared at her.

"Me," said Harry, finally as Alicia said "Harry."

"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing Harry with her beady eyes. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sibyll Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favourite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues —"

Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney —"

She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."

Alicia and Hermione laughed. Harry felt a bit better but not everyone was convinced, however. Ron still looked worried, and Lavender whispered, "But what about Neville's cup?"

When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch.

Alicia grabbed Hermione and the two ducked into a classroom.

"I hope you have a plan for how this works." Alicia said crossing her arms "We have to make it look like we don't leave the boys side."

"Then we just get back there before it's too late." Hermione pulled her Time-Turner out of her robes where it was around her neck and placed the chain around them both.

"One turn right?" Alicia asked and Hermione nodded.

The two girls proceeded off to their Arithmancy class. They made sure to avoid the path they took to the North Tower, which wasn't as difficult and sat down for their lesson. When they finished they ducked into another room, went back once more and proceeded to their Muggle studies class.

They then slipped back into the crowd and next to the boys on their way to lunch as if they'd never left them. Alicia and Hermione shared a subtle high-five as they never ran into themselves or the boys once.

"Ron, cheer up," said Hermione, pushing a dish of stew toward him. "You heard what Professor McGonagall said."

Ron spooned stew onto his plate and picked up his fork but didn't start.

"Harry," he said, in a low, serious voice, "you _haven't_ seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?"

"Yeah, I have," said Harry. "I saw one the night I left the Dursleys'."

Ron let his fork fall with a clatter.

"I saw it too and I'm not dying." Alicia shrugged

"Probably a stray," said Hermione calmly. Ron looked at Hermione as though she had gone mad.

"Hermione, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's — that's bad," he said. "My — my uncle Bilius saw one and — and he died twenty-four hours later!"

"Coincidence," said Hermione airily, pouring herself some pumpkin juice.

"We've been alive for more then twenty four hours." Alicia assured as she ate some egg and bacon.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" said Ron, starting to get angry. "Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"

"There you are, then," said Hermione in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"

Ron mouthed wordlessly at Hermione, who opened her bag, took out her new Arithmancy book, and propped it open against the juice jug.

"I think Divination seems very woolly," she said, searching for her page. "A lot of guesswork, if you ask me."

"Though if it wasn't, seeing the future might be interesting. It just doesn't seem practical…" Alicia muttered causally.

"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" said Ron hotly.

"You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep," said Hermione coolly.

"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being bad at something for a change!"

He had touched a nerve. Hermione slammed her Arithmancy book down on the table so hard that bits of meat and carrot flew everywhere.

"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolute rubbish compared with my Arithmancy class!"

She snatched up her bag and stalked away.

"Told you she'd be leaving." Alicia pointed, putting her fork in her mouth.

Ron frowned after her.

"What's she talking about?" he said to Harry. "She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet."

"Yes we have, this morning." Alicia grinned, Ron looked at her confused before she got up and followed Hermione.

* * *

Hermione and Alicia attended several classes before their Care of Magical Creatures lesson. Alicia was happy to be outside in the sunshine, yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a clear, pale grey, and the grass was springy and damp underfoot as they set off for their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class.

Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to each other. Harry and Alicia walked beside them in silence as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It was only when they spotted three only-too-familiar backs ahead of them that Alicia realised they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins. Malfoy was talking animatedly to Crabbe and Goyle, who were chortling.

Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"

For one nasty moment, Alicia almost thought that Hagrid was going to lead them into the forest. However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called. "That's it — make sure yeh can see — now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books —"

"How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.

"Eh?" said Hagrid.

"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated. He took out his copy of _The Monster Book of Monsters,_ which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some, like Harry, had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips.

"Hasn' — hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen.

The class all shook their heads.

"Yeh've got ter _stroke_ 'em," said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Look —"

He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.

"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered. "We should have _stroked_ them! Why didn't we guess!"

"I — I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.

"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"

"Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Hagrid was looking downcast and Harry wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success.

"Or I'll feed you to what ever we're meeting today." Alicia decided with a grin. Malfoy scoffed but didn't say anything

"Righ' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, "so — so yeh've got yer books an' — an' — now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on…"

He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.

"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Malfoy loudly. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him —"

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry repeated.

"Careful, Potter, there's a dementor behind you —"

"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.

Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.

"Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone but Alicia seem to draw back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.

"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"

Alicia was the only one who nodded. Once you got over the first shock of seeing something that was half horse, half bird, you started to appreciate the hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different colour: stormy gray, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.

"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer —"

No one seemed to want to. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, approached the fence cautiously to stand next to Alicia who stood excited.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' hippogriffs is, they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone and Harry had a nasty feeling they were plotting how best to disrupt the lesson.

"Yeh always wait fer the hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt.

"Right — who wants ter go first?"

Most of the class backed farther away in answer. Even Harry, Ron, and Hermione had misgivings. The hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this.

Alicia rolled her eyes.

"I do!" she said with a grin. Hagrid smiled at her as she climbed the paddock fence.

"Right, try with Buckbeak." Hagrid offered. He untied one of the chains, pulled the grey hippogriff away from its fellows, and slipped off its leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath.

"Try not ter blink Alicia." Alicia nodded and turned to the hippogriff, a few meters between them.

She watched it's eyes with a gentle smile and it turned it's head to look straight at her.

"Now bow…" Hagrid instructed. Alicia did, she bowed lowly, keeping her ears pealed for any movement from the hippogriff. She looked back up, moving slowly as she straightened and watched the Hippogriff as it eyed her.

And then, the hippogriff suddenly bent its scaly front knees and sank into what was an unmistakable bow.

Alicia grinned.

"Well gone, Alicia!" Hagrid said beaming "Yeh can go touch him now." Alicia, taking very slow steps of caution, moved to the animal and after she stood next to it for a minute, pat it's beak. The Hippogriff closed it's eyes as if enjoying it.

Alicia grinned and moved her hand over it's features as Hagrid bursted into applause, the class following.

"Anyone else?" Hagrid offered. There were a few murmurs as everyone looked at Alicia, she was still patting the hippogriff.

"I'll stay here." Alicia shrugged happily.

Hagrid looked disappointed.

"No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look.

"I'll do it," said Harry.

There was an intake of breath from behind him, and both Lavender and Parvati whispered, "Oooh, no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!"

Harry ignored them. He climbed over the paddock fence and looked at Alicia who gave him a reassuring look.

"Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid. "Right then—" he turned to Buckbeak and Alicia stopped brushing him and took a slight step back, but stayed close just incase.

Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously.

"Easy, now, Harry," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink… Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much…"

Harry kept his eyes on the animal but looked as though it was a challenge. Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head and was staring at Harry with one fierce orange eye.

"Tha's it," said Hagrid. "Tha's it, Harry… now, bow…"

Unlike Alicia, Harry bowed shortly, not feeling much like exposing the back of his neck to Buckbeak,

The hippogriff was still staring haughtily at him. It didn't move.

"Ah," said Hagrid, sounding worried. "Right — back away, now, Harry, easy does it —"

Alicia took a slight step back also, just in case and then the hippogriff did the same as it did for Alicia and bent its scaly front knees, sinking into what was an unmistakable bow.

"Well done, Harry!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right — yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"

Alicia patted the hippogriff happily as Harry walked towards them. Harry reached out toward it and patted the beak several times and the hippogriff closed its eyes lazily, enjoying it.

The class broke into applause, all except for Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were looking deeply disappointed.

"Righ' then, Harry, Alicia," said Hagrid. "I reckon he might' let yeh ride him!"

"Really?" Alicia asked grinning and Hagrid nodded.

"Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint," said Hagrid, "an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that…"

Alicia put her foot at Buckbeak's wing and hoisted herself onto its back. She then looked at Harry who looked worried.

"You don't have to come." she said, Harry however looked at Hagrid before he too hoisted himself up behind Alicia and placed his arms around her waist.

"Hagrid, what to I hold onto?" Alicia asked

"Eh…" Hagrid looked before he remember the collar in his hand. He walked over and placed it back over Buckbeaks head. Alicia grabbed it firmly.

"Go on, then!" roared Hagrid, slapping the hippogriff's hindquarters.

Without warning, twelve-foot wings flapped open on either side of them. Harry's grip tightened on Alicia as her's did on the collar.

It was nothing like a broomstick, and the hippogriff's wings beat uncomfortably on either side of them, catching Alicia under her legs and making her feel like she was about to be thrown off. Despite that however, Alicia found it only slightly different to riding a horse, which she'd only done twice but didn't mind. Instead of the smooth action of her broomstick, she now felt herself rocking backward and forward as the hindquarters of the hippogriff rose and fell with its wings.

"I prefer a broomstick!" Harry confessed

"You're just not used it it!" Alicia grinned.

Buckbeak flew them once around the paddock and then headed back to the ground. Alicia leaned back and Harry's arms tightened ever more. She gripped ever so slightly with her knees to stop her slipping off over the beak. They felt a heavy thud as the four ill-assorted feet hit the ground and Alicia straightened up grinning.

"Good work, Alicia! Well done Harry!" roared Hagrid as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle cheered. "Okay, who else wants a go?"

Emboldened by Alicia and Harry's success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. Neville ran repeatedly backward from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees. Ron and Hermione practiced on the chestnut, while Harry and Alicia watched.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak. He had bowed to Malfoy, who was now patting his beak, looking disdainful.

"This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Harry and Alicia to hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Evans and Potter could do it… I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the hippogriff. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"

It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high-pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.

Alicia ran over and took Buckbeak's chain, patting the hippogriff's feathers and giving it compliments to calm it down, slowly moving away as Hagrid turned to Malfoy.

"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled as the class panicked. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"

"Yer not dyin'!" said Hagrid, who had gone very white. "Someone help me — gotta get him outta here —"

Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily. As they passed, Harry saw that there was a long, deep gash on Malfoy's arm; blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him, up the slope toward the castle.

Very shaken, the Care of Magical Creatures class followed at a walk. The Slytherins were all shouting about Hagrid.

"They should fire him straight away!" said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears.

"It was Malfoy's fault!" snapped Dean Thomas. Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly.

"Yes he didn't listen to Hagrid's warning." Alicia ignored Crabbe and Goyle. "Stupid idiot." she insulted. Alicia was the one who had hexed Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle on multiple occasions and the two Slytherin cronies didn't have the guts to go at her as they did everyone else. They were too stupid to provide any counter action to a spell.

They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted entrance hall.

"I'm going to see if he's okay!" said Pansy, and they all watched her run up the marble staircase. The Slytherins, still muttering about Hagrid, headed away in the direction of their dungeon common room; Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione proceeded upstairs to Gryffindor Tower.

"D'you think he'll be all right?" said Hermione nervously.

" 'Course he will. Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second," said Harry, who had had far worse injuries mended magically by the nurse.

"That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class, though, wasn't it?" said Ron, looking worried. "Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him…"

They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinner-time, hoping to see Hagrid, but he wasn't there.

"They _wouldn't_ fire him, would they?" said Hermione anxiously, not touching her steak-and-kidney pudding.

"They'd better not," said Ron, who wasn't eating either.

"Well it's the Slytherins against the Gryffindors and Lucius Malfoy isn't on the board of councils anymore for the school so he might have a chance, specially with Dumbledore." Alicia tried to encourage. She was the only one eating but very little entered her system.

Harry was watching the Slytherin table. A large group including Crabbe and Goyle was huddled together, deep in conversation. It wouldn't have been a surprise if they were plotting a fake story on what happened to Malfoy.

"His father's going to be furious." Hermione sighed

"Well of course he is, he's Lucius. Anything to get at Hagrid… or Dumbledore… or anyone who isn't in Slytherin." Alicia admitted.

It was a known fact at Lucius Malfoy tried to suspend and fire Dumbledore last year and that he had an disliking for Hagrid. Malfoy was believed to have been in Voldemorts' inner circle before he tried to kill Harry.

"Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting first day back," said Ron gloomily.

They went up to the crowded Gryffindor common room after dinner and tried to do the homework Professor McGonagall had given them, but all three of them kept breaking off and glancing out of the tower window.

"There's a light on in Hagrid's window," Harry said suddenly. Ron looked at his watch.

"If we hurried, we could go down and see him. It's still quite early…"

"I don't know," Hermione said slowly, and Harry saw her glance at him.

"Are you kidding me Hermione?" Alicia demanded noticing it too.

"I'm allowed to walk across the _grounds,_ " he said pointedly. "Sirius Black hasn't got past the dementors yet, has he?"

So they put their things away and headed out of the portrait hole, glad to meet nobody on their way to the front doors, as they weren't entirely sure they were supposed to be out.

The grass was still wet and looked almost black in the twilight. When they reached Hagrid's hut, they knocked, and a voice growled, "C'min."

Hagrid was sitting in his shirtsleeves at his scrubbed wooden table; his boarhound, Fang, had his head in Hagrid's lap. One look told them that Hagrid had been drinking a lot; there was a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him, and he seemed to be having difficulty getting them into focus.

" 'Spect it's a record," he said thickly, when he recognised them. "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who lasted on'y a day before."

"You haven't been fired, Hagrid!" gasped Hermione.

"Not yet," said Hagrid miserably, taking a huge gulp of whatever was in the tankard. "But 's only a matter o' time, i'n't it, after Malfoy…"

"How is he?" said Ron as they all sat down. "It wasn't serious, was it?"

"Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could," said Hagrid dully, "but he's sayin' it's still agony… covered in bandages… moanin'…"

"He's faking it," said Harry at once. "Madam Pomfrey can mend anything. She regrew half my bones last year. Trust Malfoy to milk it for all it's worth."

"Git." Alicia grumbled angrily

"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course," said Hagrid miserably. "They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left hippogriffs fer later… done flobberworms or summat… Jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson…"

"It was a great first lesson!" Alicia assured him

"'S all my fault…"

"It's all _Malfoy's_ fault, Hagrid!" said Hermione earnestly.

"We're witnesses," said Harry. "You said hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem that he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."

"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron.

"Always." Alicia smiled "I mean Harry and I are fine."

Tears leaked out of the crinkled corners of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes. He grabbed both Harry and Ron and pulled them into a bone-breaking hug.

"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," said Hermione firmly. She took the tankard from the table and went outside to empty it.

"Ar, maybe she's right," said Hagrid, letting go of Harry and Ron, who both staggered away, rubbing their ribs. Hagrid heaved himself out of his chair and followed Hermione unsteadily outside. They heard a loud splash.

"What's he done?" said Harry nervously as Hermione came back in with the empty tankard.

"Stuck his head in the water barrel," said Hermione, putting the tankard away.

Hagrid came back, his long hair and beard sopping wet, wiping the water out of his eyes.

"Tha's better," he said, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really —"

Hagrid stopped dead, staring at Harry as though he'd only just realised he was there.

"WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" he roared, so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air. "YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! EVEN YOU ALICIA! AN' YOU TWO! LETTIN' 'EM!"

Hagrid strode over to Harry, grabbed his arm, and pulled him to the door, making sure to catch Alicia as she tried to duck also.

"C'mon!" Hagrid said angrily. "I'm takin' yer all back up ter school, an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!"

"Great," Alicia sighed as she stumbled from the difference between her and Hagrid's steps. "I'm over this Black thing already."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Malfoy didn't reappear in classes until late on Thursday morning, when the Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions. He swaggered into the dungeon, his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling, acting, in Harry's opinion, as though he were the heroic survivor of some dreadful battle.

"How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. "Does it hurt much?"

"Yeah," said Malfoy, putting on a brave sort of grimace. But even Alicia saw him wink at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away.

"Settle down, settle down," said Professor Snape idly.

Harry and Ron scowled at each other while Alicia rolled her eyes; Snape wouldn't have said "settle down" if _they'd_ walked in late, he'd have given them detention. But Malfoy had always been able to get away with anything in Snape's classes; Snape was head of Slytherin House, and generally favoured his own students above all others.

Malfoy was a higher exception.

They were making a new potion today, a Shrinking Solution. Malfoy set up his cauldron right next to Harry and Ron, so that they were preparing their ingredients on the same table.

"Sir," Malfoy called, "sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm —"

"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him," said Snape without looking up.

Ron went brick red.

"There's nothing wrong with your arm," he hissed at Malfoy. Malfoy smirked across the table.

"Weasley, you heard Professor Snape; cut up these roots."

Ron seized his knife, pulled Malfoy's roots toward him, and began to chop them roughly, so that they were all different sizes. "Professor," drawled Malfoy, "Weasley's mutilating my roots, sir."

Snape approached their table, stared down his hooked nose at the roots, then gave Ron an unpleasant smile from beneath his long, greasy black hair.

"Change roots with Malfoy, Weasley."

"But, sir — !"

Ron had spent the last quarter of an hour carefully shredding his own roots into exactly equal pieces.

" _Now,_ " said Snape in his most dangerous voice.

Ron shoved his own beautifully cut roots across the table at Malfoy, then took up the knife again.

"And, sir, I'll need this shrivelfig skinned," said Malfoy, his voice full of malicious laughter.

"Potter, you can skin Malfoy's shrivelfig," said Snape, giving Harry the look of loathing he always reserved just for him.

Harry took Malfoy's shrivelfig as Ron began trying to repair the damage to the roots he now had to use. Harry skinned the shrivelfig as fast as he could and flung it back across the table at Malfoy without speaking. Malfoy was smirking more broadly than ever.

"Seen your pal Hagrid lately?" he asked them quietly.

"None of your business," said Ron jerkily, without looking up.

"I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer," said Malfoy in a tone of mock sorrow. "Father's not very happy about my injury —"

"Keep talking, Malfoy, and I'll give you a real injury," snarled Ron.

"— he's complained to the school governors. _And_ to the Ministry of Magic. Father's got a lot of influence, you know. And a lasting injury like this" — he gave a huge, fake sigh — "who knows if my arm'll ever be the same again?"

"So that's why you're putting it on," said Harry, accidentally beheading a dead caterpillar because his hand was shaking in anger. "To try to get Hagrid fired."

"Well," said Malfoy, lowering his voice to a whisper, " _partly,_ Potter. But there are other benefits too. Weasley, slice my caterpillars for me."

"I have an exploding spell, remember it boys?" Alicia asked, pretending to think "I think I used it on Goyle's swelling potion last year. Do you remember Malfoy's nose?" she grinned and the boys snickered "I wonder Draco," she gave him a pitying look "Would you like me to shrink your arm too? Then maybe it wont hurt as much." she fake pouted

"You wouldn't." Malfoy smirked

"Snape ignores me like there's no tomorrow, I get away with every thing just like you do. Remember the valentines dwarf?" she grinned and Draco's smile vanished.

A few cauldrons away, Neville was in trouble. Neville regularly went to pieces in Potions lessons; it was his worst subject, and his great fear of Professor Snape made things ten times worse. His potion, which was supposed to be a bright, acid green, had turned —

"Orange, Longbottom," said Snape, ladling some up and allowing it to splash back into the cauldron, so that everyone could see. "Orange. Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one rat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?"

Neville was pink and trembling. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears.

"Please, sir," said Hermione, "please, I could help Neville put it right —"

"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," said Snape coldly, and Hermione went as pink as Neville. "Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly."

Snape moved away, leaving Neville breathless with fear.

"Help me!" he moaned to Hermione.

"Hey, Harry," said Seamus Finnigan, leaning over to borrow Harry's brass scales, "have you heard? _Daily Prophet_ this morning — they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."

"Where?" said Harry, Alicia and Ron quickly. On the other side of the table, Malfoy looked up, listening closely.

"Not too far from here," said Seamus, who looked excited. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hot line. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."

"Not too far from here…," Ron repeated, looking significantly at Harry. He turned around and saw Malfoy watching closely. "What, Malfoy? Need something else skinned?"

But Malfoy's eyes were shining malevolently, and they were fixed on Harry. He leaned across the table.

"Thinking of trying to catch Black single-handed, Potter?"

"Yeah, that's right," said Harry offhandedly.

"Shouldn't be hard, you killed a basilisk and escaped Voldemort three times." Alicia shrugged.

Malfoy's thin mouth was curving in a mean smile.

"Of course, if it was me," he said quietly, "I'd have done something before now. I wouldn't be staying in school like a good boy, I'd be out there looking for him."

"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" said Ron roughly.

"Don't you _know,_ Potter?" breathed Malfoy, his pale eyes narrowed.

"Know what?"

Malfoy let out a low, sneering laugh.

"Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck," he said. "Want to leave it to the dementors, do you? But if it was me, I'd want revenge. I'd hunt him down myself."

" _What are you talking about_?" said Harry angrily, but at that moment Snape called, "You should have finished adding your ingredients by now; this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's…"

Crabbe and Goyle laughed openly, watching Neville sweat as he stirred his potion feverishly. Alicia, having finished her potion to perfection and packed away had moved over to Neville and was helping him out, making him fix the potion. As Hermione would get in trouble if Neville's potion turned out at all good, where as Alicia, would be ignored as usual.

The end of the lesson in sight, Snape strode over to Neville, who was cowering by his cauldron. Alicia stood beside him smirking.

"Everyone gather 'round," said Snape, his black eyes glittering, "and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned."

The Gryffindors watched fearfully. The Slytherins looked excited. Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dipped a small spoon into Neville's potion, which was now green. He trickled a few drops down Trevor's throat.

There was a moment of hushed silence, in which Trevor gulped; then there was a small pop, and Trevor the tadpole was wriggling in Snape's palm.

The Gryffindors burst into applause. Snape, looking sour, pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his robe, poured a few drops on top of Trevor, and he reappeared suddenly, fully grown.

"Five points from Gryffindor," said Snape, which wiped the smiles from every face. "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger."

"She didn't." Alicia snapped "I did." she said smiling "No one told me I couldn't help."

Snape eyed her as usual, his lip tried to curl but there seemed to be something, as usual, that stopped it.

"Class dismissed." he said

Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione climbed the steps to the entrance hall before Alicia and Hermione vanished from the boys side. They pulled out Alicia's Time-Turner and the two went back a few hours, taking three more classes in the mean time.

"I'm getting exhausted, this is a lot of work." Alicia muttered "Can we drop muggle studies and Divination yet?" Alicia wondered

"No." Hermione snapped. Alicia rolled her eyes.

When they'd finally caught up with the boys, they were looking around confused at the entrance hall.

"Don't think we did as well this time." Alicia muttered as she stuffed her necklace down her robes and Hermione clutched her bag.

"How did you do that?" said Ron.

"What?" said Hermione as she and Alicia joining them.

"One minute you were right behind us, the next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again."

"What?" Hermione looked slightly confused. "Oh — we had to go back for something. Oh no —"

A seam had split on Hermione's bag. Alicia sighed, Hermione had crammed at least a dozen large and heavy books into it.

"We need to get you a stronger bag." Alicia sighed. She had the same as Hermione but her bag seemed to be holding well. "How about a shrinking spell?" Alicia wondered thinking

"Why are you carrying all these around with you?" Ron asked her.

"You know how many subjects I'm taking," said Hermione breathlessly. "Couldn't hold these for me, could you?"

"But —" Ron was turning over the books she had handed him, looking at the covers. "You haven't got any of these subjects today. It's only Defence Against the Dark Arts this afternoon."

"We're taking more subjects then you Ron." Alicia said simply and she turned to the great hall.

Hermione quickly caught up with her.

"You're right." she muttered

"We're getting slack." Alicia believed "Just cause we've been done it a few times now doesn't mean we can't be careful." and Hermione nodded.

* * *

Professor Lupin wasn't there when they arrived at his first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. They all sat down, took out their books, quills, and parchment, and were talking when he finally entered the room. Lupin smiled vaguely and placed his tatty old briefcase on the teacher's desk. He was as shabby as ever but looked healthier than he had on the train, as though he had had a few square meals.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."

A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books. They had never had a practical Defence Against the Dark Arts before, unless you counted the memorable class last year when their old teacher had brought a cageful of pixies to class and set them loose.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."

Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in midair and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum.

Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song.

"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin —"

Rude and unmanageable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect toward the teachers. Everyone looked quickly at Professor Lupin to see how he would take this; to their surprise, he was still smiling.

"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms." Filch was the Hogwarts caretaker, a bad-tempered, failed wizard who waged a constant war against the students and, indeed, Peeves. However, Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin's words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry.

Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand.

"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."

He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, " _Waddiwasi_!" and pointed it at Peeves.

With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing.

"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement.

"Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away again. "Shall we proceed?"

They set off again, the class looking at shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect. He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.

"Inside, please," said Professor Lupin, opening it and standing back.

The staffroom, a long, panelled room full of old, mismatched chairs, was empty except for one teacher. Professor Snape was sitting in a low armchair, and he looked around as the class filed in. His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty sneer playing around his mouth. As Professor Lupin came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this."

He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear."

Neville went scarlet. Harry glared at Snape; it was bad enough that he bullied Neville in his own classes, let alone doing it in front of other teachers.

Professor Lupin had raised his eyebrows.

"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably."

Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled, but he left, shutting the door with a snap.

"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.

"Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a boggart in there."

Most people seemed to feel that this _was_ something to worry about. Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror, and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively.

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks — I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. _This_ one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice.

"So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what _is_ a boggart?"

Alicia and Hermione put up their hands.

"It's a shape-shifter," Hermione said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."

"It's because of that that no one knows what a Boggat looks like, as it's always changing depending on who's closest to it." Alicia added

"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed. "So the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears.

"This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's small sputter of terror, "that we have a huge advantage over the boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?"

Trying to answer a question with Hermione next to him, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet with her hand in the air, was very off-putting. Alicia nudged Hermione and gave her a look, Hermione grumbled but put her hand down and Harry had a go.

"Er — because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"

"Precisely," said Professor Lupin "It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a boggart make that very mistake — tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening.

"The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is _laughter._ What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.

"We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please… _riddikulus_!"

" _Riddikulus_!" said the class together.

"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville."

The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows.

"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.

"Didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully.

Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape."

Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.

"Professor Snape… hmmm… Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Er — yes," said Neville nervously. "But — I don't want the boggart to turn into her either."

"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"

Neville looked startled, but said, "Well… always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress… green, normally… and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."

"And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin.

"A big red one," said Neville.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"

"Yes," said Neville uncertainly, plainly wondering what was coming next.

"When the boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. "And you will raise your wand — thus — and cry ' _Riddikulus_ ' — and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag."

There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently.

"If Neville is successful, the boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical…"

Alicia suddenly felt her mind drain. What did frighten her most? Voldemort? Harry disappearing and leaving her alone again? Never becoming a witch in the first place? The dementor, fainting at the sight of it? What would happen if everyone found out who she really was?

Maybe what she was really afraid of was loneliness, being alone, seeing nothing but black… and hearing that scream in the background.

Alicia looked at the wardrobe, she felt like facing the boggart just to see what it thought she was most afraid of, for she couldn't come to one conclusion.

She looked around, wondering what they were all thinking off, many people had their eyes shut tight. Ron was muttering to himself, "Take its legs off." Alicia was sure he knew what that was about. Ron's greatest fear was spiders.

"Everyone ready?" said Professor Lupin.

Alicia looked worried, looking at the Professor as her mind raced, she wasn't ready. Around her everyone else was nodding and rolling up their sleeves.

"Harry!" she shook his arm and he looked at her "I have nothing!" she admitted "I can't close in on anything."

"I…" he muttered "I have a dememtor, but, how do you make it less frightening?" he was panicking like she was.

"Um…" Alicia thought. It was cold and a black cloak…

"Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward… Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot —"

They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready.

"On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One — two — three — _now_!"

A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville.

Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes.

" _R_ — _r_ — _riddikulus_!" squeaked Neville.

There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag.

There was a roar of laughter; the boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward!"

Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a blood-stained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising —

" _Riddikulus_!" cried Parvati.

A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.

"Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin.

Seamus darted past Parvati.

 _Crack_! Where the mummy had been was a woman with floor-length black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face — a banshee. She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek that made the hair on Alicia's head stand on end —

" _Riddikulus_!" shouted Seamus.

The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone.

"How about the Dementor freezes over by it's own cold?" Alicia offered "Or, a giant fan appeared and blows on the dementor and it has to fight the wind." she grinned slightly at that. "Maybe it'll blow the robe away and leave a skeletal kind of thing behind."

Harry smirked slightly as there was another crack.

The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, then — _crack_! — became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before — _crack_! — becoming a single, bloody eyeball.

"It's confused!" shouted Lupin. "We're getting there! Dean!" Dean hurried forward.

 _Crack_! The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.

" _Riddikulus_!" yelled Dean.

There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap. "Excellent! Ron, you next!"

Ron leapt forward.

 _Crack_!

Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron, clicking its pincers menacingly. For a moment, it looked like Ron had frozen. Then —

" _Riddikulus_!" bellowed Ron, and the spider's legs vanished; it rolled over and over; Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Harry's feet. Alicia glanced at Harry and then at the boggart, hoping it would pick him instead of her. Harry raised his wand, ready, but —

"Here!" shouted Professor Lupin suddenly, hurrying forward. _Crack_!  
The legless spider had vanished. A silvery-white orb was hanging in the air in front of Lupin. Alicia eyed it, only one image coming to mind at the sight of it.

The moon.

" _Riddikulus_!" Lupin said almost lazily.

 _Crack_!

"Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" said Lupin as the boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach. _Crack_! Snape was back. This time Neville charged forward looking determined.

" _Riddikulus_!" he shouted, and they had a split second's view of Snape in his lacy dress before Neville let out a great "Ha!" of laughter, and the boggart exploded, burst into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone.

"Excellent!" cried Professor Lupin as the class broke into applause. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone… Let me see… five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the boggart — ten for Neville because he did it twice… and five each to Hermione, Alicia and Harry."

"But I didn't do anything," said Harry.

"You, Alicia and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the start of the class, Harry," Lupin said lightly. "Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework, kindly read the chapter on boggarts and summarise it for me… to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."

Talking excitedly, the class left the staffroom. Alicia was feeling relieved that the boggart session was over, but Harry seemed miserable. She wasn't surprised, Professor Lupin had stopped him facing his fear, and after the train incident, Harry hated people thinking he couldn't handle anything.

"Did you see me take that banshee?" shouted Seamus.

"And the hand!" said Dean, waving his own around.

"And Snape in that hat!"

"And my mummy!"

"I wonder why Professor Lupin's frightened of crystal balls?" said Lavender thoughtfully.

"That was the best Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson we've ever had, wasn't it?" said Ron excitedly as they made their way back to the classroom to get their bags.

"He seems like a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly. "But I wish I could have had a turn with the boggart —"

"What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?"

"I'm glad I didn't face it." Alicia admitted

"Why?" Hermione asked

"I couldn't think of what frightened me most."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

In no time at all, Defence Against the Dark Arts had become most people's favourite class. Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins had anything bad to say about Professor Lupin.

"Look at the state of his robes," Malfoy would say in a loud whisper as Professor Lupin passed. "He dresses like our old house-elf."

But no one else cared that Professor Lupin's robes were patched and frayed. His next few lessons were just as interesting as the first. After boggarts, they studied Red Caps, nasty little goblinlike creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed: in the dungeons of castles and the potholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had gotten lost. From Red Caps they moved on to kappas, creepy water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds.

However, not every class was as good. Worst of all was Potions. Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days, and no one was in any doubt why. The story of the boggart assuming Snape's shape, and the way that Neville had dressed it in his grandmother's clothes, had traveled through the school like wildfire. Snape didn't seem to find it funny. His eyes flashed menacingly at the very mention of Professor Lupin's name, and he was bullying Neville worse than ever.

Of course Divination was probably the worst class. Professor Trelawney's eyes would fill with tears whenever she looked at Harry. Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown had taken to haunting Professor Trelawney's tower room at lunchtimes, and always returned with annoyingly superior looks on their faces, as though they knew things the others didn't. They had also started using hushed voices whenever they spoke to Harry, as though he were on his deathbed.

Nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures, which, after the action-packed first class, had become extremely dull. Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence. They were now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after flobberworms, which had to be some of the most boring creatures in existence.

"Why would anyone _bother_ looking after them?" said Ron, after yet another hour of poking shredded lettuce down the flobber-worms' slimy throats.

Alicia and Hermione were running around like there was no tomorrow getting to their classes, even if Time was on their side. They stayed up late most nights doing homework and Alicia had demanded they have a bed time of sorts so that they could get up the next day and actually concentrate in classes. She still hadn't dropped the idea of getting rid of Muggle studies and Divination though.

At the start of October, Alicia and Harry had something else to occupy them, something so enjoyable it made up for the fact that her schedule was going to get busier. The Quidditch season was approaching, and Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor team, called a meeting one Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season.

There were seven people on a Quidditch team: three Chasers, whose job it was to score goals by putting the Quaffle (a red, soccer-sized ball) through one of the fifty-foot-high hoops at each end of the field; two Beaters, who were equipped with heavy bats to repel the Bludgers (two heavy black balls that zoomed around trying to attack the players); a Keeper, who defended the goal posts, and the Seeker, who had the hardest job of all, that of catching the Golden Snitch, a tiny, winged, walnut-sized ball, whose capture ended the game and earned the Seeker's team an extra one hundred and fifty points.

Oliver Wood was a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his six fellow team members in the chilly locker rooms on the edge of the darkening Quidditch field.

"This is our last chance — _my_ last chance — to win the Quidditch Cup," he told them, striding up and down in front of them. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it.

"Gryffindor hasn't won for seven years now. Okay, so we've had the worst luck in the world — injuries — then the tournament getting called off last year…" Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. "But we also know we've got the _best_ — _ruddy_ — _team_ — _in_ — _the_ — _school,_ " he said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye.

"We've got three _superb_ Chasers."

Wood pointed at Alicia, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell.

"We've got two _unbeatable_ Beaters."

"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," said Fred and George Weasley together, pretending to blush.

"And we've got a Seeker who has _never failed to win us a match_!" Wood rumbled, glaring at Harry with a kind of furious pride. "And me," he added as an afterthought.

"We think you're very good too, Oliver," said George.

"Spanking good Keeper," said Fred.

"Alway gets up when he's knocked down." Alicia muttered to the twins who nodded in a fake wise like manner.

"The point is," Wood went on, resuming his pacing, "the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing…"

Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked sympathetic.

"Oliver, this year's our year," said Fred.

"We'll do it, Oliver!" said Angelina.

"Definitely," said Harry.

Full of determination, the team started training sessions, three evenings a week. The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind, or rain could tarnish the wonderful vision of finally winning the huge, silver Quidditch Cup.

Alicia and Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training, cold and stiff but pleased with the way practice had gone, to find the room buzzing excitedly.

"What's happened?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy.

"First Hogsmeade weekend," said Ron, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween."

"Excellent," said Fred, who had followed Alicia and Harry through the portrait hole. "I need to visit Zonko's. I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets."

"Great." Alicia muttered, she grabbed some books to start some homework as Harry threw himself into a chair beside Ron

"Harry, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time," she said. "They're bound to catch Black soon. He's been sighted once already."

"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Harry. And Alicia, Black's not after you," — ("As far as we know." Alicia grumbled) — "I'm sure you can come too. The next one might not be for ages —"

" _Ron_!" said Hermione. "Harry's supposed to stay _in school_ —"

"They can't be the only third years left behind," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall, go on, Harry —"

"Yeah, I think I will," said Harry, making up his mind. Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth.

"Does he have to eat that in front of us?" said Ron, scowling.

"Awww, he brought you a present." Alicia smiled, using it as a distraction from Hogsmeade.

"Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?" said Hermione.

Crookshanks slowly chewed up the spider, his yellow eyes fixed insolently on Ron.

"Just keep him over there, that's all," said Ron irritably, turning back to his star chart. "I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag."

"That explains why he's staring at you." Alicia muttered. She'd easily come to the conclusion that that's what Crookshanks' main prise was.

Harry yawned and then pulled his bag toward him, took out parchment, ink, and quill, and started working on his star chart.

"You can copy mine, if you like," said Ron, labelling his last star with a flourish and shoving the chart toward Harry.

Hermione, who disapproved of copying, pursed her lips but didn't say anything. Crookshanks was still staring unblinkingly at Ron, flicking the end of his bushy tail. Then, without warning, he pounced.

"OY!" Ron roared, seizing his bag as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deep inside it and began tearing ferociously. "GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!"

Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clung on, spitting and slashing.

"Ron, don't hurt him!" squealed Hermione; the whole common room was watching; Ron whirled the bag around, Crookshanks still clinging to it, and Scabbers came flying out of the top —

"CATCH THAT CAT!" Ron yelled as Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag, sprang over the table, and chased after the terrified Scabbers.

George Weasley made a lunge for Crookshanks but missed; Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers. Crookshanks skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bandy legs, and started making furious swipes beneath it with his front paw.

Ron and Hermione hurried over; Hermione grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and heaved him away; Ron threw himself onto his stomach and, with great difficulty, pulled Scabbers out by the tail.

"Look at him!" he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. "He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!"

"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong!" said Hermione, her voice shaking. "All cats chase rats, Ron!"

"There's something funny about that animal!" said Ron, who was trying to persuade a frantically wiggling Scabbers back into his pocket. "It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!"

"Oh, what rubbish," said Hermione impatiently. "Crookshanks could _smell_ him, Ron, how else d'you think —"

"That cat's got it in for Scabbers!" said Ron, ignoring the people around him, who were starting to giggle. "And Scabbers was here first, _and_ he's ill!"

Ron marched through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.

"You know, animals are supposed to have a sixth sense about things, and Crookshanks does seem really hell bent on getting Scabbers, maybe there's something else wrong with the old rat." Alicia said as she stood next to Hermione and patted the cat.

"Personally I'd trust the cat who couldn't possible have a personal endeavour. Rat's don't live twelve years." she muttered.

Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione next day. He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though he, Harry, Alicia and Hermione were working together on the same puffapod. He seemed to be upset with Alicia too for taking Crookshanks' side but it wasn't nearly as bad.

"How's Scabbers?" Hermione asked timidly as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail.

"He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking," said Ron angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor.

"Careful, Weasley, careful!" cried Professor Sprout as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes.

They had Transfiguration next. Harry had his face set with determination to ask McGonagall if he could go to Hogsmeade.

"Why don't you ask too?" he asked Alicia

"Cause it's McGonagall, it's a loosing battle." she answered.

Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious.

"What's the matter, Lavender?" said Hermione anxiously as she, Harry, Alicia and Ron went to join the group.

"She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispered. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox."

"Oh," said Hermione, "I'm sorry, Lavender."

"I should have known!" said Lavender tragically. "You know what day it is?"

"Er —"

"The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!"

The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shook his head seriously. Hermione hesitated; then she said, "You — you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?"

"Well, not necessarily by a _fox,_ " said Lavender, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, "but I was _obviously_ dreading him dying, wasn't I?"

"Oh," said Hermione. She paused again. Then — "Was Binky an _old_ rabbit?"

"N — no!" sobbed Lavender. "H — he was only a baby!" Parvati tightened her arm around Lavender's shoulders.

"But then, why would you dread him dying?" said Hermione. Parvati glared at her.

"Well, look at it logically," said Hermione, turning to the rest of the group. "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today —" Lavender wailed loudly. "— and she _can_ _'t_ have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock —"

"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," said Ron loudly, "she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much."

Alicia rolled her eyes.

"I understand what you're getting at." she assured Hermione.

Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment, which was perhaps lucky; Hermione and Ron were looking daggers at each other, and when they got into class, they seated themselves on either side of Alicia and Harry and didn't talk to each other for the whole class.

At the end of the class McGonagall brought Harry's opportunity forwards but mentioning Hogsmeade.

"One moment, please!" she called as the class made to leave. "As you're all in my House, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!"

Neville put up his hand.

"Please, Professor, I — I think I've lost —"

"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," said Professor McGonagall. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave."

"Ask her now," Ron hissed at Harry.

"Oh, but —" Hermione began.

"Go for it, Harry," said Ron stubbornly.

"This isn't going to end well." Alicia chimed.

Harry waited for the rest of the class to disappear, then headed nervously for Professor McGonagall's desk.

"Yes, Potter?"

Harry took a deep breath.

"Professor, my aunt and uncle — er — forgot to sign my form," he said.

Professor McGonagall looked over her square spectacles at him but didn't say anything.

"So — er — d'you think it would be all right — I mean, will it be okay if I — if I go to Hogsmeade?"

Professor McGonagall looked down and began shuffling papers on her desk.

"I'm afraid not, Potter," she said. "You heard what I said. No form, no visiting the village. That's the rule."

"But — Professor, my aunt and uncle — you know, they're Muggles, they don't really understand about — about Hogwarts forms and stuff," Harry said, while Ron egged him on with vigorous nods. "If you said I could go —"

"But I don't say so," said Professor McGonagall, standing up and piling her papers neatly into a drawer. "The form clearly states that the parent or guardian must give permission." She turned to look at him, with an odd expression on her face. Was it pity? "I'm sorry, Potter, but that's my final word. You had better hurry, or you'll be late for your next lesson."

There was nothing to be done. Ron called Professor McGonagall a lot of names that greatly annoyed Hermione; Hermione assumed an "all-for-the-best" expression that made Ron even angrier. Alicia kept quiet, didn't even try to say I told you say and both her and Harry just endured everyone in the class talking loudly and happily about what they were going to do first once they got into Hogsmeade.

"There's always the feast," said Ron, in an effort to cheer Harry up. "You know, the Halloween feast, in the evening."

"Yeah," said Harry gloomily, "great."

"Try something else." Alicia offered.

The Halloween feast was always good, but it would taste a lot better if you were coming to it after a day in Hogsmeade with everyone else. Nothing anyone said made Harry feel any better about being left behind. Dean Thomas, who was good with a quill, had offered to forge Uncle Vernon's signature on the form, but as Harry had already told Professor McGonagall he hadn't had it signed, that was no good. Ron halfheartedly suggested the Invisibility Cloak, but Hermione stamped on that one, reminding Ron what Dumbledore had told them about the dementors being able to see through them. Percy had what were possibly the least helpful words of comfort.

"They make a fuss about Hogsmeade, but I assure you, Harry, it's not all it's cracked up to be," he said seriously. "All right, the sweetshop's rather good, and Zonko's Joke Shop's frankly dangerous, and yes, the Shrieking Shack's always worth a visit, but really, Harry, apart from that, you're not missing anything."

"Percy. You're not helping." Alicia snapped.

On Halloween morning, Alicia went down to breakfast with everyone else. She didn't feel any better then Harry had since the date had been put up.

"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for them.

"Yeah, loads," said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of Harry's difficulties.

"And remember, you're not alone, Alicia's missing out too." Ron said, Alicia sent him an angry look.

"Because of me." Harry said

"How is it because of you?" Alicia questioned "I'm the one who didn't get my form signed. I forgot remember on our birthday. Then Marge turned up" — Alicia rolled her eyes — "And that wasn't your decision was it?" she admitted.

Hermione and Ron nodded furiously in agreement.

"Don't worry about me," said Harry, in what he hoped was an offhand voice, "I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time."

He and Alicia accompanied them to the entrance hall, where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure that no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going.

"Staying here, Potter?" shouted Malfoy, who was standing in line with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the dementors?"

Harry ignored him as he and Alicia made their way up the marble staircase, through the deserted corridors, and back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Password?" said the Fat Lady, jerking out of a doze.

"Fortuna Major," said Harry listlessly.

The portrait swung open and they climbed through the hole into the common room. It was full of chattering first and second years, and a few older students, who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off.

"Harry! Harry! Hi, Harry!"

It was Colin Creevey, a second year who was deeply in awe of Harry and never missed an opportunity to speak to him.

"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade, Harry? Why not? Hey" — Colin looked eagerly around at his friends — "you can both come and sit with us, if you like, Harry!"

"Thanks Colin." Alicia forced from her mouth.

"Er — no, thanks, Colin," said Harry "I — I've got to go to the library, got to get some work done." And Harry grabbed Alicia and dragged her out with him.

"What was the point waking me up?" the Fat Lady called grumpily after him as they walked away.

Alicia rolled her eyes.

About halfway to the library Harry changed his mind and turned in a different direction, causing Alicia to stop short to follow quickly. Unfortunately they came face-to-face with Filch, who had obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors.

"What are you doing?" Filch snarled suspiciously.

"Nothing," said Harry truthfully.

"Nothing!" spat Filch, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. "A likely story! Sneaking around — why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?"

"No form." Alicia said simply

"Well, get back to your common room where you belong!" snapped Filch, and he stood glaring until they had passed out of sight.

Alicia just followed Harry as he walked aimlessly around the corridors, trying to make up his mind on what to do before a voice sounded out from one of the classrooms the passed.

"Alicia? Harry?"

They both doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.

"What are you doing?" said Lupin, though in a very different voice from Filch. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"Hogsmeade," said Harry, in a would-be casual voice.

"With everyone else…" Alicia muttered

"Ah," said Lupin. He considered them for a moment. "Why don't you two come in? I've just taken delivery of a grindylow for our next lesson."

"A what?" said Harry.

They both followed Lupin into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.

Alicia leaned down to it.

"Water demon," said Lupin, surveying the grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."

"What? So his fingers will snap?" Alicia wondered

"Most likely." Lupin nodded, Alicia grimaced at the thought and flexed her fingers, standing up straight.

The grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner.

"Cup of tea?" Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one."

"Yes please." Alicia nodded

"All right," said Harry awkwardly.

Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.

"Sit down," said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid — but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"

Harry looked at him. Lupin's eyes were twinkling.

"How did you know about that?" Harry asked.

"Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing Harry a chipped mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?"

"No," said Harry.

"Poppy-cock if you ask me." Alicia admitted, taking a mug from the teacher.  
They were silent for a minute and Lupin seemed to be watching Harry interestedly. Of course, Harry's face slowly became riddled with worry, and almost annoyance.

"Anything worrying you, Harry?"

"No," Harry lied. He drank a bit of tea and watched the grindylow brandishing a fist at him. He then looked at Alicia who raised an eyebrow at him.

He sighed.

"Yes," he said suddenly, putting his tea down on Lupin's desk. "You know that day we fought the boggart?

"Yes," said Lupin slowly.

"Why didn't you let me fight it?" said Harry abruptly.

Lupin raised his eyebrows.

"I would have thought that was obvious, Harry," he said, sounding surprised.

Harry, who had expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback.

"Why?" he said again.

"Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort. Actually, that was my worry for the both of you." He glanced at both twins. Alicia looked surprised, not only was this an answer she didn't expect, but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. The only person she had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from herself and Harry) was Professor Dumbledore.

"Clearly, I was wrong," said Lupin, still frowning at Harry. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialise in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic."

"I didn't think of Voldemort," said Harry honestly. "I — I remembered those dementors."

"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well… I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on both Alicia and Harry's faces. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is — fear. Very wise, Harry."

"What about if you don't know what you fear?" Alicia asked

"Could you think of nothing?" Lupin wondered

"No, I thought of a few things but, couldn't figure out which one I feared most."

"Then it's rather the same prospect." Lupin admitted "It's not that you fear something, it's that it's fear itself, feeling that, scares you most."

"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly.

Alicia smirked slightly and put the cup to her lips to hide the grin.

"Well… yeah," said Harry. He was suddenly feeling a lot happier. "Professor Lupin, you know the dementors —"

He was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," called Lupin.

The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of Harry, his black eyes narrowing.

"Ah, Severus," said Lupin, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"

Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between Alicia, Harry and Lupin.

"I was just showing Harry my grindylow," said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank.

"Fascinating," said Snape, without looking at it. "You should drink that directly, Lupin."

"Yes, yes, I will," said Lupin.

"I made an entire cauldronful," Snape continued. "If you need more."

"I should probably take some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."

"Not at all," said Snape, but there was a look in his eye Harry didn't like. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful.

Harry looked curiously at the goblet. Lupin smiled.

"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering.

"It is rude to ask… why?" Alicia wondered

"I've been feeling a bit off-colour," he said. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it."

Professor Lupin took another sip and Alicia saw Harry eying the goblet.

"Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts," he blurted out.

"Really?" said Lupin, looking only mildly interested as he took another gulp of potion.

"Some people reckon —" Harry hesitated, then plunged recklessly on, "some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defence Against the Dark Arts job." Alicia nudged him.

"What kind of potion is it?" Alicia asked curiously, eying it.

"I've noticed you're very bright Alicia," Lupin said "Just like Hermione."

"Rivals." Alicia smiled "Apparently I get it from my mother."

"Oh yes, not doubt about that." Lupin nodded with a smile, causing the two to look confused.

Lupin drained the goblet and pulled a face.

"Disgusting," he said. "Well, Harry, Alicia, I'd better get back to work. I'll see you both at the feast later."

"Right," said Harry, putting down his empty teacup.

The empty goblet was still smoking.

"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry."

A shower of brilliantly coloured sweets fell into Alicia and Harry's lap. It was dusk, and Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind and looking as though they'd had the time of their lives.

"Damn, I should have given you some money…" Alicia muttered "I'll pay you back." she smiled.

"Thanks," said Harry, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?"

By the sound of it — everywhere. Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, Zonko's Joke Shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot butterbeer, and many places besides.

"The post office, Harry! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all colour-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!"

"Honeydukes has got a new kind of fudge; they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look —"

"We _think_ we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks —"

"Wish we could have brought you some butterbeer, really warms you up —"

"What did you do?" said Hermione, looking anxious. "Did you get any work done?"

"No," said Harry.

"Almost." Alicia sighed

"Lupin made us a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in…"

He told them all about the goblet. Ron's mouth fell open.

" _Lupin drank it_?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"

"Apparently he has a trust in Snape not many others do. Like Dumbledore." Alicia shrugged

Hermione checked her watch.

"We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes…" They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape.

"But if he — you know" — Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around — "if he _was_ trying to — to poison Lupin — he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry."

"Yeah, maybe," said Harry as they reached the entrance hall and crossed into the Great Hall.

"Unless Snape poisons Harry too, better watch you pumpkin juice." Alicia said nudging him. Ron seemed to take the warning though.

The Great Hall had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant watersnakes.

The food was delicious; even Hermione and Ron, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. Harry kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher.

"He seems fine. If he doesn't turn up tomorrow, we have a suspicion as to why." Alicia shrugged

The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a reenactment of his own botched beheading.

It had been such a pleasant evening that no one's good mood couldn't even be spoiled by Malfoy, who shouted through the crowd as they all left the hall, "The dementors send their love, Potter!"

Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.

Harry peered over the heads in front of him. The portrait seemed to be closed.

"Bloody hell." Alicia muttered

"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password — excuse me, I'm Head Boy —"

And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.

"What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was.

"Oh, my —" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely.

Alicia's mouth hung open at the sight, she turned to look at all the other paintings, wondering where The Fat Lady had gone.

Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.

"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.

It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle.

"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing," he added unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.

"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were joined ten minutes later by the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, who all looked extremely confused.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who was looking immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts."

Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing…"

One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.

The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened.

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

"C'mon," Ron said to Alicia, Harry and Hermione; they seized four sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner.

"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously.

"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron.

"Doubtful, why would you stick around? He couldn't get into the dormitory and staying is catastrophic for him." Alicia said. Her mind was racing, was Black planning on waiting in Harry's dormitory for him?

"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the tower…"

"Maybe that's why he _did_ pick tonight." Alicia suggested "He could walk freely through the castle…"

"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realise it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."

"I don't know… he snuck around and went straight to the tower… either he was planning on waiting for Harry, or, he had an ulterior motive…" Alicia muttered "Maybe after killing all those muggles he's decided stealth is better, I mean, _no one_ _has seen him_!"

Hermione shuddered.

All around them, people were asking one another the same question: " _How did he get in_?"

"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away. "Just appear out of thin air, you know."

"Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth year.

"He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas.

Alicia rolled her eyes "They're all stupid." she said

"Honestly, are we the _only_ people who's ever bothered to read _Hogwarts, A History_?" said Hermione crossly to Alicia.

"Probably," said Ron. "Why?"

"Because the castle's protected by more than _walls,_ you know," said Hermione. "There are all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just Apparate in here. And I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds. They'd have seen him fly in too. And Filch knows all the secret passages, they'll have them covered…"

"Walking in would be impossible." Alicia said in agreement "I don't understand how someone who's supposed to have gone mad in Azkaban can do it and seem… sort of level headed, I mean, he must have heard the noise from the great hall no matter where he was really… but he still didn't go there. And he'd have had to plan a way in undetected…"

Black seemed smart almost… it was like he'd spent twelve years planning this moment, and it so far wasn't going his way.

"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"

The candles all went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts, who were drifting about talking seriously to the prefects, and the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars. What with that, and the whispering that still filled the hall, it was like they were sleeping outside.

Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. Alicia watched him looking around for Percy, who had been prowling between the sleeping bags, telling people off for talking. Percy was only a short way away from Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione, who quickly pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer.

"Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.

"No. All well here?"

"Everything under control, sir."

"Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."

"And the Fat Lady, sir?"

"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her."

The door of the hall creaked open again, and more footsteps.

"Headmaster?" It was Snape. Alicia listened hard, not wanting to miss anything. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."

"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"

"All searched…"

"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."

"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" asked Snape.

"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."

"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before — ah — the start of term?" said Snape, who was barely opening his lips, as though trying to block Percy out of the conversation.

"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, and there was something like warning in his voice.

"It seems — almost impossible — that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed —"

"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore, and his tone made it so clear that the subject was closed that Snape didn't reply. "I must go down to the dementors," said Dumbledore. "I said I would inform them when our search was complete."

"Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy.

"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am headmaster."

Percy looked slightly abashed. Dumbledore left the hall, walking quickly and quietly. Snape stood for a moment, watching the headmaster with an expression of deep resentment on his face; then he too left.

Harry glanced sideways at Ron and Hermione. Both of them had their eyes open too, reflecting the starry ceiling.

"What was all that about?" Ron mouthed.

"Snape suspects someone's helping Black?" Alicia said surprised. But who would do such a thing?

* * *

The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days. The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder; Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, spent much of their next Herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Black could turn into a flowering shrub.

The Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogan and his fat grey pony. Nobody was very happy about this. Sir Cadogan spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day.

"He's a complete lunatic," said Seamus Finnigan angrily to Percy. "Can't we get anyone else?"

"None of the other pictures wanted the job," said Percy. "Frightened of what happened to the Fat Lady. Sir Cadogan was the only one brave enough to volunteer."

Sir Cadogan, however, was the least of Harry's worries. Alicia had quickly noticed that he was now being closely watched. Teachers found excuses to walk along corridors with him, and Percy Weasley (acting, Alicia suspected, on his mother's orders) was tailing him everywhere like an extremely pompous guard dog.

Alicia was walking around with Harry everywhere in annoyance to this.

"Seriously, you're not a time bomb." she grumbled

"You're being followed too…" Harry muttered, to which Alicia grumbled even more. It seemed this year quite a few more teachers knew who she was. Professor McGonagall being one of them, she summoned them both into her office, with such a somber expression on her face the twins thought someone must have died.

"There's no point hiding it from you any longer, Potter," she said in a very serious voice. "I know this will come as a shock to you, but Sirius Black —"

"I know he's after me," said Harry wearily.

"We've known all year." Alicia admitted

"We heard Ron's dad telling his mum. Mr. Weasley works for the Ministry of Magic." Professor McGonagall seemed very taken aback. She stared at Harry for a moment or two, then said, "I see! Well, in that case, Potter, you'll understand why I don't think it's a good idea for either of you to be practicing Quidditch in the evenings. Out on the field with only your team members, it's very exposed, Potter —"

"What?!" Alicia demanded

"We've got our first match on Saturday!" said Harry, outraged. "I've got to train, Professor!"

"Put someone down to watch all our practices" — anyone but Snape — "Anything to keep practicing." Alicia begged.

Professor McGonagall considered them both intently. Both of them knew she was deeply interested in the Gryffindor team's prospects; it had been she, after all, who'd suggested Harry as Seeker in the first place.

They waited, holding their breath.

"Hmm…" Professor McGonagall stood up and stared out of the window at the Quidditch field, just visible through the rain. "Well… goodness knows, I'd like to see us win the Cup at last… but all the same, Potter… I'd be happier if a teacher were present. I'll ask Madam Hooch to oversee your training sessions."

* * *

The weather worsened steadily as the first Quidditch match drew nearer. Undaunted, the Gryffindor team was training harder than ever under the eye of Madam Hooch. Then, at their final training session before Saturday's match, Oliver Wood gave his team some unwelcome news.

"We're not playing Slytherin!" he told them, looking very angry. "Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead."

"Why?" chorused the rest of the team.

"Flint's excuse is that their Seeker's arm's still injured," said Wood, grinding his teeth furiously. "But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather. Think it'll damage their chances…"

There had been strong winds and heavy rain all day, and as Wood spoke, they heard a distant rumble of thunder.

"There's _nothing wrong_ with Malfoy's arm!" said Harry furiously. "He's faking it!"

"He's just milking the attention." Alicia groaned

"I know that, but we can't prove it," said Wood bitterly. "And we've been practicing all those moves assuming we're playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff, and their style's quite different. They've got a new Captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory —"

Angelina and Katie suddenly giggled.

"Oh come _on._ " Alicia muttered in aggravation rolling her eyes at their behaviour.

"What?" said Wood, frowning at this lighthearted behaviour.

"He's that tall, good-looking one, isn't he?" said Angelina.

"Strong and silent," said Katie, and they started to giggle again.

"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together," said Fred impatiently. "I don't know why you're worried, Oliver, Hufflepuff is a pushover. Last time we played them, Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember?"

"We were playing in completely different conditions!" Wood shouted, his eyes bulging slightly. "Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin is trying to wrong-foot us! We _must_ win!"

"Oliver, calm down!" said Fred, looking slightly alarmed. "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. _Seriously._ "

The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder than ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. The Slytherin team was looking very smug indeed, and none more so than Malfoy.

"Ah, if only my arm was feeling a bit better!" he sighed as the gale outside pounded the windows.

Alicia, though trying with all her classes, had no room in her head to worry about anything except the match tomorrow. This was because Oliver Wood kept hurrying up to Harry between classes and giving him tips. Alicia guessed this is what happened when Harry was late for Defence against the Dark Arts. And it wasn't Lupin teaching the class.

"Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin, I —"

It wasn't Professor Lupin who looked up at him from the teacher's desk; it was Snape.

"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down."

But Harry didn't move.

"Where's Professor Lupin?" he said.

"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile. "I believe I told you to sit down?" But Harry stayed where he was.

"What's wrong with him?"

Snape's black eyes glittered.

"Nothing life-threatening," he said, looking as though he wished it were. "Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty."

Harry walked slowly to his seat and sat down. Snape looked around at the class.

"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far —"

"Please, sir, we've done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas, and grindy-lows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start —"

"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organisation."

"He's the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean Thomas boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Snape looked more menacing than ever.

"You are easily satisfied."

"It's not hard, we've only had two other teachers." Alicia said, not bothering to keep her voice low.

Snape ignored her as usual.

"Lupin is hardly overtaxing you — I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and grindylows. Today we shall discuss —"

They watched him flick through the textbook, to the very back chapter, which he must know they hadn't covered.

"— werewolves," said Snape.

"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start hinkypunks —"

"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again. " _All_ of you! _Now_!"

Alicia did so quickly and turned to the werewolves. With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the rest of the class opened their books also.

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape.

Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione and Alicia, both whose hands, as they so often did, had shot straight into the air.

"Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Hermione as well as Alicia this time. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between —"

"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on —"

" _Silence_!" snarled Snape.

"You can't ask a question like that when we haven't even looked at the chapter!" Alicia snapped annoyed, everyone looked at her surprised and Snape's eyes hit her angrily, but he didn't say anything, looking away from her quickly.

"Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognise a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are…"

Alicia balled her fists in frustration.

"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf —"

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."

Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. It was a mark of how much the class loathed Snape that they were all glaring at him, because every one of them had called Hermione a know-it-all at least once, and Ron, who told Hermione she was a know-it-all at least twice a week, said loudly, "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"

The class knew instantly he'd gone too far. Snape advanced on Ron slowly, and the room held its breath.

"Detention, Weasley," Snape said silkily, his face very close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticise the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."

"I'm criticising how you teach the class, a class that you can't even get to be your own." Alicia glared. There were several gasps around the room as Snape turned to her. "The snout of a werewolf is rounder and a lot longer from a real wolf and as further has a lot less fur on it's body. It's limbs are longer and much more human-like as it not truly a wolf." she answered his question quickly, angrily as Snape's eyes board into her head like a drill as they were filed with a lot of malice.

Snape turned to the board wrote a heap of instructions down on the black board with his wand and then sat at the desk. Everyone stared at him for a minute as he didn't punish Alicia who for once wasn't as glad. She'd almost thought he'd lash out and give her detention also.

No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin.

"Very poorly explained… That is incorrect, the kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia… Professor Lupin gave this eight out of ten? I wouldn't have given it three…"

"Good thing you're not our teacher then." Alicia said.

When the bell rang at last, Snape held them back.

"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognise and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand. Weasley, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."

Harry, Alicia and Hermione left the room with the rest of the class, who waited until they were well out of earshot, then burst into a furious tirade about Snape.

"I wanted to hit him with a stunning spell! Even a bloody curse that broke something!" Alicia snapped instantly, her hands balled into fists.

"Snape's never been like this with any of our other Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," Harry said. "Why's he got it in for Lupin? D'you think this is all because of the boggart?"

"I don't know," said Hermione pensively. "But I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon…"

Ron caught up with them five minutes later, in a towering rage.

"D'you know what that —" (he called Snape something that made Hermione say " _Ron_!") "— is making me do? I've got to scrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. _Without magic_!" He was breathing deeply, his fists clenched. "Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!"

* * *

Alicia was first up the next morning, or so she thought. She awoke to find Harry in the empty common room.

"Morning." she muttered

"You don't seem happy?" Harry said

"You listening to that typhoon?" she wondered, pointing to the window before she bent down to pick up Crookshanks, who was trying to climb the boys staircase.

"I'd wondered where you'd gone." she muttered and sat down with the cat purring in her lap.

"I feel like I'm going to need a water repelling spell or my arms will be too cold to hold the slippery Quaffle." she sighed

"Do you have something that'll help me see?"

"Sort of." Alicia nodded "Hermione and I know this charm, if you need it."

"If?" Harry asked. Alicia sighed in agreement

"Come on, I need a mound of hot breakfast to prepare for the cold." she muttered, moving the small tiger from her lap and walking to the porthole, her firebolt in hand.

"Stand and fight, you mangy cur!" yelled Sir Cadogan.

"Oh, shut up," Harry yawned.

Alicia was grimacing at the windows, hearing thunder roll by and watching the pain hitting the window panes, the howling of the wind all round them. She could even hear the creaks of the trees from the forest it was that bad.

Alicia sat down, had some porridge, followed by sausages, bacon, baked beans and eggs.

"It's going to be a tough one," said Wood, when the rest of the team joined them. Oliver hadn't touched any food and wasn't eating anything.

"Stop worrying, Oliver," said Katie soothingly, "we don't mind a bit of rain."

"A bit of rain, no…" Fred said and looked at the window "That…?" he said, sightly worried.

"I have something to help." Alicia grinned "At least I hope it will."

"Which is?"

"A water repelling charm."

"Can you do it now?" George asked

"No you're not wearing your Quidditch gear." she said obviously.

Such was the popularity of Quidditch that the whole school turned out to watch the match as usual, but they ran down the lawns toward the Quidditch field, heads bowed against the ferocious wind, umbrellas being whipped out of their hands as they went. Just before he entered the locker room, Harry saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, laughing and pointing at him from under an enormous umbrella on their way to the stadium.

The team changed into their scarlet robes, Alicia performed the charm on them all and told them not to be angry if it didn't work, pulled on a pair of special goggles she'd created with Hermione, and then they all waited for Wood's usual pre-match pep talk, but it didn't come. He tried to speak several times, made an odd gulping noise, then shook his head hopelessly and beckoned them to follow him.

The wind was so strong that they staggered sideways as they walked out onto the field. If the crowd was cheering, they couldn't hear it over the fresh rolls of thunder.

The Hufflepuffs were approaching from the opposite side of the field, wearing canary-yellow robes. The Captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled at Wood but Wood now looked as though he had lockjaw and merely nodded. Alicia saw Madam Hooch's mouth form the words, "Mount your brooms." She pulled her right foot out of the mud with a squelch and swung it over the Firebolt. Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant — they were off.

Alicia couldn't hear any commentary. Her goggles were doing the trick and she could see well enough through the rain and her repelling charm seemed to do the trick as she didn't have an inch of rain on her anywhere. The wind however whipped through her like an ice dart. The Quaffle was passed to her and she used the rain to her advantage as she scored it, the Keeper being unable to see much.

The Quaffle was dropped a lot as hardly anyone could see it coming, must less the bludgers that the beaters somehow managed to see and send everyone's way. Alicia wasn't flying as fast as usual, trying very hard to hold her broom steady with the fierce wind, but it seemed easier when she was moving. Her hands slipped and slid just a little on the broom handle but was getting worse as time passed.

She scored two more goals. The sky was getting darker, as though night had decided to come early. With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle; Alicia could just see the outline of Wood through the thick rain, gesturing everyone to the ground. The whole team splashed down into the mud.

"I called for time-out!" Wood roared at his team. "Come on, under here —"

They huddled at the edge of the field under a large umbrella; Harry took off his glasses and wiped them hurriedly on his robes.

"What's the score?"

"We're fifty points up," said Wood, "but unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night."

"I've got no chance with these on," Harry said exasperatedly, waving his glasses.

At that very moment, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her cloak over her head and was, inexplicably, beaming.

"I've had an idea, Harry! Give me your glasses, quick!"

He handed them to her, and as the team watched in amazement, Hermione tapped them with her wand and said, " _Impervius_!"

"There!" she said, handing them back to Harry. "They'll repel water!"

"Just like our robes." Alicia said standing, everyone looked down at themselves as though they hadn't noticed.

Wood looked as though he could have kissed both thirteen year olds who grinned at one another.

"Brilliant!" he called hoarsely after her as she disappeared into the crowd. "Okay, team, let's go for it!"

Alicia shot two more goals, now feeling a little better that Hermione had fixed Harry's vision problem. Angelina and Katie seemed more upbeat also, and managed to catch the Quaffle and score a few times also.

There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately by forked lightning. This was getting more and more dangerous. Harry needed to get the Snitch quickly —

Alicia sped through the field like a blur, the Quaffle in her hands, but at that moment, another flash of lightning illuminated the stands, she saw something that distracted her completely — the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog, clearly imprinted against the sky, motionless in the topmost, empty row of seats.

Alicia lost the Quaffle to Hufflepuff and Angelina was after them quickly. Alicia had stared at the spot where the dog had appeared and turned to Harry who was staring also, but by the time she looked back, it was gone.

She was brought back by a bludger that she dodged and then sped after Katie who had the Quaffle.

"Harry!" came Wood's anguished yell from the Gryffindor goal posts. "Harry, behind you!"

Alicia glanced behind her. Cedric Diggory was pelting up the field, and a tiny speck of gold was shimmering in the rain-filled air between them —

She saw Harry throw himself flat to the broom-handle and zoomed toward the Snitch.

Alicia sped past Katie, received the Quaffle again and scored.

But there was no cheering from the crowd, even the howling of the wind, still blowing, had stopped roaring. An eerie silence was falling across the stadium, it was as though someone had turned off the sound — what was going on?

And then a horribly familiar wave of cold swept over her, inside her, in her heart, just as she became aware of something moving on the field…

At least a hundred dementors, their hidden faces pointing at her, were surrounding her. It was as though freezing water were rising in her chest, cutting at her insides instead of drowning like last time. And then she heard the screaming. This time however, she realised it was in her head… a woman…

" _Not Harry, not Harry, please not my babies_!"

" _Stand aside, you silly girl…_ _stand aside, now…_ "

" _Not Harry, please no, not Alicia, not my girl, take me, kill me instead_ —"

Alicia felt the white mist return, she didn't feel her hands slipping from the broom but just as she wanted to help the women, pleading for Alicia's own, she felt like she was falling through her own mind.

Falling through the mist.

" _Not Harry_! _Please, not Alicia, not my kids_ … _have mercy…_ _have mercy…_ "

A shrill voice was laughing, the woman was screaming, and then everything was silent.

* * *

"Lucky the ground was so soft."

"I thought they were dead for sure."

"Alicia didn't fall from as far."

"But Harry didn't even break his glasses."

Alicia could hear the voices whispering, but they made no sense whatsoever. It took a while for her senses to return but she realised she was lying in sheets, soft, comfortable… a little muddy by the feel of it… where was she? Wasn't she on a broom?

She moved her arm ever so slightly and felt pain. Her face crumbled, every inch of her was aching as though it had been beaten.

"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life."

What was scary? Seeing your mother beg for your life, then die? Or the hooded figures that caused the memory… hooded figures…?

Alicia opened her eyes, it was dark from the storm outside. She was in the hospital wing, again. She saw the Gryffindor Quidditch team, spattered with mud from head to foot, was gathered around two beds, one she was in, and by the whispers from before, she assumed Harry was next to her, but her head was pounding too much to turn it. Ron and Hermione were also there, looking as though they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool.

"Alicia!" Hermione gasped, Alicia managed to turn her head to look at the girl, only to find her eyes bloodshot.

"Are you alright?" Angelina wondered

"Other then anything aching?" she breathed. "What happened?" Alicia croaked, her throat dry

No one answered as beside her Harry suddenly opened his eyes.

"Harry!" said Fred, who looked extremely white underneath the mud. "How're you feeling?"

"What happened?" Harry said, sitting up so suddenly they all gasped.

"You both fell off," said Fred. "Must've been — what — fifty feet?"

"We thought you'd died," said Katie, who was shaking.

"Crap." Alicia groaned as she too sat up, brushing her hair from her face.

"But the match," said Harry. "What happened? Are we doing a replay?"

No one said anything. The horrible truth sank into Alicia like a stone.

"We didn't — _lose_?" she and Harry chorused.

"Diggory got the Snitch," said George. "Just after you fell. He didn't realise what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch. But they won fair and square… even Wood admits it."

"Where is Wood?" said Harry, suddenly realising he wasn't there.

"Still in the showers," said Fred. "We think he's trying to drown himself."

"Tell him he's being a woos. We can't get it back if he's dead." Alicia said, but her face was in her hands as Harry put his face to his knees, his hands gripping his hair. Fred grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly.

"C'mon, Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before."

"There had to be one time you didn't get it," said George.

"It's not over yet," said Fred. "We lost by a hundred points, right? So if Hufflepuff loses to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin…"

"Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points," said George.

"But if they beat Ravenclaw…"

"No way, Ravenclaw is too good. But if Slytherin loses against Hufflepuff…"

"It all depends on the points — a margin of a hundred either way —"

Alicia sighed and laid back down in annoyance. They had lost…

After ten minutes or so, Madam Pomfrey came over to tell the team to leave them in peace.

"We'll come and see you later," Fred told him. "Don't beat yourself up, Harry, you're still the best Seeker we've ever had."

The team trooped out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them, looking disapproving. Ron and Hermione moved nearer to the two.

"Dumbledore was really angry," Hermione said in a quaking voice. "I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the field as you fell, waved his wand, and you both sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. Then he whirled his wand at the dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium right away… He was furious they'd come onto the grounds. We heard him —"

"Then he magicked you onto stretchers," said Ron. "And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were both…"

His voice faded. Alicia sighed, Ron and Hermione looking at the both so anxiously that Harry quickly cast around for something matter-of-fact to say.

"Did someone get my Nimbus?"

"Yeah what happened to the brooms?" Alicia wondered

Ron and Hermione looked quickly at each other.

"Er —"

"What?" said Harry, looking from one to the other.

"Well… Harry, when you fell off, it got blown away," said Hermione hesitantly.

"And?"

"And it hit — it hit — oh, Harry — it hit the Whomping Willow." Alicia looked at Harry sadly. The Whomping Willow was a very violent tree that stood alone in the middle of the grounds.

"And?" he said, dreading the answer.

"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," said Ron. "It — it doesn't like being hit."

"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came around," said Hermione in a very small voice.

Slowly, she reached down for a bag at her feet, turned it upside down, and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful, finally beaten broomstick.

"Do I want to ask?" Alicia whispered

"We haven't found yours…" Ron muttered "We thought it blew in the same direction but…"

Alicia sighed and bashed her head on the pillow in annoyance.

"Perfect."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Harry and Alicia in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend. Neither argued or complained, but Harry wouldn't let her throw away the shattered remnants of his Nimbus Two Thousand.

They had a stream of visitors, all intent on cheering Harry up, who's spirits seemed worse then Alicia's. Hagrid sent them a bunch of earwiggy flowers that looked like yellow cabbages, and Ginny Weasley, blushing furiously, turned up with a get-well card she had made herself, which sang shrilly unless Harry kept it shut under his bowl of fruit. The Gryffindor team visited again on Sunday morning, this time accompanied by Wood, who told Harry (in a hollow, dead sort of voice) that he didn't blame him in the slightest. Ron and Hermione left their bedsides only at night.

Hermione brought Alicia the homework she had for the weekend, including Snape's essay. Hermione watched her expectantly as she read over the chapter and slowly realisation dawned on her.

"Hermione…" she muttered suddenly, and Hermione was nodding furiously "Seriously?!" Alicia whispered as Ron and Harry talked about something

"I know! I couldn't believe it! No one must know about it…" Hermione muttered "But don't you think it'd be obvious? To the teachers at least? And nothing happens without Dumbledore knowing about it?"

"Snape must know!" Alicia suddenly gasped "That's why he hates him and why he set the essay! Snape wants people to find out, but doesn't have the guts to tell anyone!"

"But why assign it to students?" Hermione whispered

"Because we all idolise him." Alicia shrugged as she wrote the essay, the new information bubbling in her mind.

Despite Ron and Hermione's visits, nothing anyone said or did seemed make Harry feel any better, as though there was something worse troubling him.

Alicia asked Saturday night.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong or make me guess?" she asked, staring at the celling.

Silence.

"You saw the Grim didn't you." Harry turned to her "I saw it too." she admitted "Lost the Quaffle cause of it."

"It can't be a coincidence." Harry said lowly "It's now appeared twice, and both appearances have been followed by near-fatal accidents; the first time, I was nearly been run over by the Knight Bus; the second, I fell fifty feet from my broomstick. Is the Grim going to haunt me until I actually die?"

"I saw the Grim both times and I didn't nearly get run over by the Knight Bus." Alicia said simply "So I don't think so… but it is weird…" she trailed off and frowned.

"What?" Harry asked

"I heard her…" Alicia whispered "Just before I passed out…" she looked at Harry.

"Mom, pleading for our lives."

Harry looked surprised and nodded.

"Me too." he confessed "And then —"

"Voldemort's shrill laughter." Alicia cut him off.

"That's twice I heard her scream."

"Why would the dementors bring that out of us? Even if they do suck on happy feelings?" Alicia said.

Harry shook his head, he didn't know.

* * *

It was a relief to return to the noise and bustle of the main school on Monday, where Alicia's mind was taken off her dying mother's pleads as she was forced to think about other things, even if she and Harry had to endure Draco Malfoy's taunting. Malfoy was almost beside himself with glee at Gryffindor's defeat. He had finally taken off his bandages, and celebrated having the full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broom.

He'd imitated Alicia too, and that ended up with Madam Pomfrey having to deal with him as Alicia had used a permanent sticking charm, sticking Goyle to Crabbe and Malfoy's books to his face.

Despite that however, he didn't stop.

Malfoy spent much of their next Potions class doing dementor imitations across the dungeon; Ron finally cracked and flung a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, which hit him in the face and caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor.

"If Snape's teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts again, I'm skiving off," said Ron as they headed toward Lupin's classroom after lunch. "Check who's in there, Hermione."

Hermione peered around the classroom door.

"It's okay!"

Professor Lupin was back at work. It certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes; nevertheless, he smiled at the class as they took their seats, and they burst at once into an explosion of complaints about Snape's behaviour while Lupin had been ill.

"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he give us homework?"

"We don't know anything about werewolves —"

"— two rolls of parchment!"

"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly.

The babble broke out again.

"Yes, but he said we were really behind —"

"— he wouldn't listen —"

"— _two rolls of parchment_!"

Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face. "Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."

"What?" Alicia moaned as Hermione said "Oh _no,_ " looking very disappointed.

"We've already finished it!"

They had a very enjoyable lesson. Professor Lupin had brought along a glass box containing a hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who looked as though he were made of wisps of smoke, rather frail and harmless-looking.

"Lures travellers into bogs," said Professor Lupin as they took notes. "You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hops ahead — people follow the light — then —"

The hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass.

When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door. Alicia was ready for her next thousand classes but—

"Wait a moment, Harry, Alicia," Lupin called. "I'd like a word."

The two twins doubled back and watched Professor Lupin covering the hinkypunk's box with a cloth.

"I heard about the match," said Lupin, turning back to his desk and starting to pile books into his briefcase, "and I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?"

"No," said Harry. "The tree smashed it to bits."

"And yours?" Alicia asked. She shook her head

"Missing."

Lupin sighed.

"They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts." Alicia's eyes raised slightly "People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it. No broomstick would have a chance."

"Did you hear about the dementors too?" said Harry with difficulty.

Lupin looked at them both quickly.

"Yes, I did. I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry. They have been growing restless for some time… furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds… I suppose they were the reason you fell?"

"Yes," said Harry and Alicia.

And then Harry busted, saying; " _Why_? Why do they affect us like that? Am I just — ?"

"Are we weak?" Alicia wondered

"It has nothing to do with weakness," said Professor Lupin sharply. "The dementors affect you two worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don't have."

A ray of wintery sunlight fell across the classroom, illuminating Lupin's grey hairs and the lines on his young face.

"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself…soul-less and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that happened to _you two,_ Harry, Alicia, is enough to make anyone fall off their brooms. You have nothing to feel ashamed of."

"When they get near me —" Harry stared at Lupin's desk, his throat tight as he glanced at Alicia. "I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum."

Lupin made a sudden motion with his arm as though to grip Harry's shoulder, but thought better of it.

"And you Alicia?" Lupin wondered "You hear it too." Alicia looked at him surprised and he smiled.

"Yes, I know." he admitted. She pursed her lips slightly.

There was a moment's silence, then —

"Why did they have to come to the match?" said Harry bitterly.

"They're getting hungry," said Lupin coolly, shutting his briefcase with a snap. "Dumbledore won't let them into the school, so their supply of human prey has dried up.… I don't think they could resist the large crowd around the Quidditch field. All that excitement… emotions running high… it was their idea of a feast."

"Azkaban must be terrible," Harry muttered. Lupin nodded grimly.

"The fortress is set on a tiny island, way out to sea, but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they're all trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheerful thought. Most of them go mad within weeks."

"But Sirius Black escaped from them," Harry said slowly. "He got away…"

Lupin's briefcase slipped from the desk; he had to stoop quickly to catch it. Alicia eyes narrowed slightly at the action. It reminded her of Fudge back at the Leaky Cauldron… like Lupin knew something.

"Yes," he said, straightening up, "Black must have found a way to fight them. I wouldn't have believed it possible… Dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long…"

" _You_ made that dementor on the train back off," said Harry suddenly.

"There are — certain defences one can use," said Lupin. "But there was only one dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist."

"What defences?" said Harry at once.

"Can you teach us?" Alicia asked suddenly, Harry glanced at her before looking at Lupin expectantly.

"I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting dementors, Harry… quite the contrary Alicia…"

"But if the dementors come to another Quidditch match, I need to be able to fight them —"

"I'm not falling off a broom again and I don't feel like listening to my mother screaming every time I see them." Alicia said strongly, her eyes set.

Lupin looked into both their determined faces, hesitated, then said, "Well… all right. I'll try and help. But it'll have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill."

Alicia smiled happily.

What with the promise of anti-dementor lessons from Lupin and the fact that Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff in their Quidditch match at the end of November, Alicia felt much better, but more so did Harry. Gryffindor were not out of the running after all, although they could not afford to lose another match. Wood became repossessed of his manic energy, and worked his team as hard as ever in the chilly haze of rain that persisted into December. There was no hint of a dementor within the grounds. Dumbledore's anger seemed to be keeping them at their stations at the entrances.

Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air. Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies. The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays. Both Ron and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts, and though Ron said it was because he couldn't stand two weeks with Percy, and Hermione insisted she needed to use the library, neither Alicia nor Harry were fooled; they were doing it to keep them company, and both were very grateful.

To everyone's delight except Harry and Alicia's, there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term.

"We can do all our Christmas shopping there!" said Hermione. "Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!"

Alicia had gotten a list from the Daily Prophet of things she wanted and seeing as one was available in Hogsmeade she gave Hermione the money for it.

Harry borrowed a copy of _Which Broomstick_ from Wood, and decided to spend the day reading up on the different makes. He and Alicia had been riding one of the school brooms each at team practice, ancient Shooting Stars, which were very slow and jerky; both agreed they needed a new broom.

Alicia however set down to do every piece of homework possible, she seemed to be glued to the werewolves chapter in their defence against the dark arts book.

"We don't need to hand that in Alicia," Ron groaned

"And you said you'd already done it?" Harry added

"It's still interesting." Alicia mumbled, sharing a knowing look with Hermione.

On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Harry and Alicia bid good-bye to Ron and Hermione, who were wrapped in cloaks and scarves, then turned up the marble staircase, and headed back toward Gryffindor Tower. Snow had started to fall outside the windows, and the castle was very still and quiet.

"Psst — Harry! Alicia!" They turned, halfway along the third-floor corridor, to see Fred and George peering out at them from behind a statue of a hump-backed, one-eyed witch.

"What are you doing?" said Harry curiously. "How come you're not going to Hogsmeade?"

"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go," said Fred, with a mysterious wink.

"Really?" Alicia grinned, loving what ever the twins' minds were up to.

"Come in here…"

Fred nodded toward an empty classroom to the left of the one-eyed statue. Alicia followed Fred and George inside eagerly with Harry following. George closed the door quietly and then turned, beaming, to look at the twins.

"Early Christmas present for you both," he said.

Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it. Harry, suspecting one of Fred and George's jokes, stared at it.

"What is it?" Alicia asked, an eyebrow raised and disappointment setting in.

"This, is the secret of our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly.

"It's a wrench, giving it to you," said Fred, "but we decided last night, your need's greater than ours."

"Anyway, we know it by heart," said George. "We bequeath it to you two. We don't really need it anymore."

"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" said Harry.

"A bit of old parchment!" said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him.

"Then tell us what it does." Alicia said, eager again at the prospect of a hidden magic within the parchment.

"Explain, George."

"Well… when we were in our first year, Harry — young, carefree, and innocent —"

Harry snorted and Alicia bursted out laughing, but covered her mouth to keep the noise down. Both doubted whether Fred and George had ever been innocent.

"— well, more innocent than we are now — we got into a spot of bother with Filch."

"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason —"

"So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual —"

"— detention —"

"— disembowelment —"

"— and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked _Confiscated and Highly Dangerous._ "

"Don't tell me —" said Harry, starting to grin.

"Well, what would you've done?" said Fred.

"Looked inside." Alicia nodded

"George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open, and grabbed — _this._ "

"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know," said George. "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it."

"And you know how to work it?"

"Oh yes," said Fred, smirking. "This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."

"You're winding me up," said Harry, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment.

"Oh, are we?" said George.

"You've got me hanging on edge, tell us how to work it." Alicia grinned.

George took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, " _I solemnly swear that I am up to no good._ "

And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:

 _Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs_

 _Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present_

 _THE MARAUDER'S MAP_

It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. Alicia bent over it with interest, amazed by the parchment as Harry copied her actions. A labeled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the care-taker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. And as Alicia's eyes traveled up and down the familiar corridors, she noticed something else.

This map showed a set of passages she had never entered. And many of them seemed to lead —

Alicia and Harry shared a look.

"Right into Hogsmeade," said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger. "There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four" — he pointed them out — "but we're sure we're the only ones who know about _these._ Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in — completely blocked. And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance. But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. And as you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone's hump."

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."

"Do you know who they are?" Alicia wondered

"Allas, no," Fred sighed "Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of law- breakers," said Fred solemnly.

"Right," said George briskly. "Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it —"

"— or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly.

"Just tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed!' And it'll go blank."

"So, young Harry, Alicia," said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy, "mind you behave yourself."

"See you in Honeydukes," said George, winking.

They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way. They both stood there, gazing at the miraculous map. The tiny ink Mrs. Norris turn left and pause to sniff at something on the floor. If Filch really didn't know… they wouldn't have to pass the dementors at all…

"Oh my god this is ace." Alicia grinned. All she wanted to do was stare at the map in fascination, study it.

"Do you remember what Mrs. Weasley said?" Harry suddenly asked. Alicia looked up at him and then remembered

" _Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where it keeps its brain._ " she quoted

"Come on Harry," she begged "Fred and George have been using it for years…" she tried to convince.

True enough though, this map was one of those dangerous magical objects Mr. Weasley had been warning against… _Aids for Magical Mischief-Makers…_

Harry looked at her as he thought for a while and then looked back at the map. He traced the secret passage to Honeydukes with his finger and Alicia grinned, waiting for him to agree.

Alicia, getting impatient, held the map up to his face.

"No one will know and we'll be together." she convinced

Harry watched her and the map and she saw the determination flare in his eyes. She grinned and handed him the map. He rolled it up, stuffed it inside his robes, and, with Alicia grinning in tow, hurried to the door of the classroom. He opened it a couple of inches and they both peered out. There was no one outside. Very carefully, they edged out of the room and behind the statue of the one-eyed witch.

"What did we have to do?" Harry asked

"Ask the map." Alicia poked it in his pocket. Harry pulled out the map again and they both saw, to his astonishment, that two new ink figures had appeared upon it, one was labeled _Harry Potter_ and the other _Alicia Potter._

"It says Potter," Alicia muttered surprised. "I wonder how it knows that?" she said confused.

Harry looked at and shrugged before they both turned to the map. These figures were standing exactly where the real Harry and Alicia was standing, about halfway down the third-floor corridor.

They watched carefully. Harry's little ink self appeared to be tapping the witch with his miniature wand. Harry quickly took out his real wand and tapped the statue. Nothing happened. He looked back at the map. The tiniest speech bubble had appeared next to his figure. The word inside said, " _Dissendium._ "

" _Dissendium_!" Harry whispered, tapping the stone witch again.

At once, the statue's hump opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person. Alicia grinned as Harry glanced quickly up and down the corridor.

"Come on." Alicia climbed in and pushed herself forward.

She slid a considerable way down what felt like a stone slide, hearing Harry behind her. Then she landed on cold, damp earth, Alicia rolled immediately out of the way as Harry landed behind her.

They stood up, looking around. It was pitch dark. Harry held up his wand, muttered, " _Lumos_!" and saw they that they was in a very narrow, low, earthy passageway.

Harry raised the map, tapped it with the tip of his wand, and muttered, " _Mischief managed_!" The map went blank at once. He folded it carefully, tucked it inside his robes, then, with a glance at Alicia who was grinning with both excited and apprehensive, she took a few steps down the hall and Harry grinned.

They set off.

The passage twisted and turned, more like the burrow of a giant rabbit than anything else. Harry and Alicia hurried along it, stumbling now and then on the uneven floor, Harry holding his wand out in front of him.

It took ages, but Alicia didn't mind, she was excited to be out of the castle and on her way to Honeydukes. After what felt like an hour, the passage began to rise. Alicia sped up, Harry hurrying behind her.

Ten minutes later, they came to the foot of some worn stone steps, which rose out of sight above them.

Alicia placed her finger to her lips and Harry nodded. Careful not to make any noise, the twins began to climb. Harry watched his feet as they climbed while Alicia watched ahead of them. She stopped as suddenly there was a trap door above them. Harry crashed into her and she turned to grab him, stopping him from falling down the stairs

They stood there listening. There didn't seem to be any sounds above them. Alicia glanced at Harry who nodded before she, very slowly, pushed the trapdoor open and peered over the edge.

They were in a cellar, which was full of wooden crates and boxes. Alicia glanced around and then climbed out, Harry after her. He replaced the trapdoor — it blended so perfectly with the dusty floor that it was impossible to tell it was there. Alicia looked around as Harry crept slowly toward the wooden staircase that led upstairs. Now they could definitely hear voices, not to mention the tinkle of a bell and the opening and shutting of a door.

"Shall we?" Alicia mouthed grinning and Harry nodded.

Before they could do anything however, they suddenly heard a door open much closer at hand; somebody was about to come downstairs.

"And get another box of Jelly Slugs, dear, they've nearly cleaned us out —" said a woman's voice.

A pair of feet was coming down the staircase. Harry leapt behind an enormous crate, dragging Alicia with him and they waited for the footsteps to pass. They heard the man shifting boxes against the opposite wall.

Quickly and silently, Harry dodged out from his hiding place, pulling Alicia along by her arm, and climbed the stairs; looking back, she saw an enormous backside and shiny bald head, buried in a box. Alicia grinned as Harry reached the door at the top of the stairs. They slipped through it, and found themselves behind the counter of Honeydukes — they both ducked, crept sideways, and then straightened up.

Honeydukes was so crowded with Hogwarts students that no one looked twice at Alicia or Harry. They edged among them, looking around. Alicia was grinning at all she could see.

There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-coloured toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavour Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizbees, the levitating sherbert balls that Ron had mentioned; along yet another wall were "Special Effects" sweets: Drooble's Best Blowing Gum (which filled a room with bluebell-coloured bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps ("breathe fire for your friends!"), Ice Mice ("hear your teeth chatter and squeak!"), peppermint creams shaped like toads ("hop realistically in the stomach!"), fragile sugar-spun quills, and exploding bonbons.

Harry and Alicia squeezed through a crowd of sixth years and saw a sign hanging in the farthest corner of the shop (Unusual Tastes). Ron and Hermione were standing underneath it, examining a tray of blood-flavoured lollipops. Alicia and Harry shared a grin before they sneaked up behind them.

"Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione was saying.

"How about these?" said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose.

"Definitely not," said Harry.

"How about a packet of these?" Alicia wondered picking up one a jar of raspberry looking lollies.

Ron nearly dropped the jar.

" _Alicia!_ _Harry_!" squealed Hermione. "What are you doing here? How — how did you — ?"

"Wow!" said Ron, looking very impressed, "you've learned to Apparate!"

Alicia laughed as she grinned from ear to ear.

"I wish."

"'Course we haven't," said Harry. He dropped his voice so that none of the sixth years could hear him and told them all about the Marauder's Map.

"How come Fred and George never gave it to _me_!" said Ron, outraged. "I'm their brother!"

"Probably why they didn't tell you." Alicia admitted

"But Harry isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione, as though the idea were ludicrous. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?"

"No, I'm not!" said Harry.

"He better not!" Alicia snapped

"Are you mad?" said Ron, goggling at Hermione. "Hand in something that good?"

"If I hand it in, I'll have to say where I got it! Filch would know Fred and George had nicked it!"

"But what about Sirius Black?" Hermione hissed. "He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!"

"He can't be getting in through a passage," said Harry quickly. "There are seven secret tunnels on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them. And of the other three — one of them's caved in, so no one can get through it. One of them's got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't get out of it. And the one I just came through — well — it's really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar, so unless he knew it was there…"

"Plus he'd need to get through this." Alicia pointed to Honeydukes. Everyone else look and then Alicia turned a knowing gaze beck to Hermione.

"But—"

Ron, however, cleared his throat significantly, and pointed to a notice pasted on the inside of the sweetshop door.

— BY ORDER OF —

THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

 _Customers are reminded that until further notice, dementors will be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every night after sundown. This measure has been put in place for the safety of Hogsmeade residents and will be lifted upon the recapture of Sirius Black. It is therefore advisable that you complete your shopping well before nightfall._

 _Merry Christmas!_

"See?" said Ron quietly. "I'd like to see Black try and break into Honeydukes with dementors swarming all over the village. Anyway, Hermione, the Honeydukes owners would hear a break-in, wouldn't they? They live over the shop!"

"Yes, but — but —" Hermione seemed to be struggling to find another problem. "Look, Harry and Alicia still shouldn't be coming into Hogsmeade. Neither of them have got a signed form! If anyone finds out, they'll be in so much trouble! And it's not nightfall yet — what if Sirius Black turns up today? Now?"

"I think you're worrying too much. Plus that's why we came together." Alicia shrugged

"And, he'd have a job spotting Harry in this," said Ron, nodding through the mullioned windows at the thick, swirling snow. "Come on, Hermione, it's Christmas. Harry and Alicia deserve a break."

"Specially after everything." Alicia sighed dramatically.

Hermione bit her lip, looking extremely worried.  
"Are you going to report me?" Harry asked, grinning.

"Oh — of course not — but honestly, Harry —"

"Seen the Fizzing Whizbees, Harry?" said Ron, grabbing him and leading him over to their barrel. "And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops? Fred gave me one of those when I was seven — it burnt a hole right through my tongue. I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick." Ron stared broodingly into the Acid Pop box. Alicia was laughing as she followed excitedly, pointing out things and asking Ron about them "Reckon Fred'd take a bit of Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts?"

"He would if I told him." Alicia nodded with a grin

When Ron and Hermione had paid for all their sweets, the three of them left Honeydukes for the blizzard outside.

Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees.

Alicia and Harry both shivered; unlike the other two, they didn't have their cloaks. They headed up the street, heads bowed against the wind, Ron and Hermione shouting through their scarves.

"That's the post office —"

"Zonko's is up there —"

"We could go up to the Shrieking Shack —"

"Tell you what," said Ron, his teeth chattering, "shall we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?"

"Yes please!" Alicia shouted, the wind was fierce and her hands were freezing, so they crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn.

It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky. A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face was serving a bunch of rowdy warlocks up at the bar.

"That's Madam Rosmerta," said Ron. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" he added, going slightly red.

"Did he just turn red?" Alicia asked surprised. Hermione nodded as she, Alicia and Harry made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree, which stood next to the fireplace. Ron came back five minutes later, carrying four foaming tankards of hot butterbeer.

"Merry Christmas!" he said happily, raising his tankard.

Alicia drank gladly. It was the most delicious thing she'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of her from the inside. It was like the opposite of the dementors.

A sudden breeze ruffled her hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Alicia looked over and gapped while Harry choked.

Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak — Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic.

"Shit!" Alicia gulped

In an instant, Ron and Hermione had both placed hands on the top of Harry and Alicia's heads and forced them off their stools and under the table. Harry had spilt his butterbeer in the action and Alicia watched the teachers' and Fudge's feet move toward the bar, pause, then turn and walk right toward him.

Somewhere above them, Hermione whispered, " _Mobiliarbus_!"

The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, drifted sideways, and landed with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding them from view. Staring through the dense lower branches, Alicia saw four sets of chair legs move back from the table right beside theirs, then heard the grunts and sighs of the teachers and minister as they sat down.

Next he saw another pair of feet, wearing sparkly turquoise high heels, and heard a woman's voice.

"A small gillywater —"

"Mine," said Professor McGonagall's voice.

"Four pints of mulled mead —"

"Ta, Rosmerta," said Hagrid.

"A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella —"

"Mmm!" said Professor Flitwick, smacking his lips.

"So you'll be the red currant rum, Minister."  
"Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear," said Fudge's voice. "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us…"

"Well, thank you very much, Minister."

Harry and Alicia watched the glittering heels march away and back again. Alicia bit her lip in worry, of course the teachers would be here too! She hoped they wouldn't stay, Alicia and Harry would need to be back at Hogwarts before tonight and before everyone else returned from Hogsmeade. Hermione's leg gave a nervous twitch next to Harry.

"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" came Madam Rosmerta's voice.

The twins saw the lower part of Fudge's thick body twist in his chair as though he were checking for eavesdroppers. Then he said in a quiet voice, "What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?"

"I did hear a rumour," admitted Madam Rosmerta.

"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" said Professor McGonagall exasperatedly.

"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly.

"You know that the dementors have searched the whole village twice?" said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away… It's very bad for business, Minister."

"Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," said Fudge uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution… unfortunate, but there you are… I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore — he won't let them inside the castle grounds."

"I should think not," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"

"Hear, hear!" squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick, whose feet were dangling a foot from the ground.

"All the same," demurred Fudge, "they are here to protect you all from something much worse… We all know what Black's capable of…"

"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought… I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."

Alicia's eyes widened in surprised, Black had been at Hogwarts? And by Rosmerta, he was normal too?

"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."

"The worst?" said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity. "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"

"I certainly do," said Fudge.

"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"

"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"

"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here — ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"

Harry dropped his tankard with a loud clunk while Alicia's breath hitched in her throat. Ron kicked Harry but he ignored it as the two shared a startled look.

"Precisely," said Professor McGonagall. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course — exceptionally bright, in fact — but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers —"

"I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."

"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable!"

"Of course they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him god-father to Harry and their daughter, Alicia. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."

"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know- Who?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"Worse even than that, m'dear…" Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."

"How does that work?" said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest. Professor Flitwick cleared his throat.

"An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find — unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"

"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" whispered Madam Rosmerta.

"Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself… and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself."

"He suspected Black?" gasped Madam Rosmerta.

"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," said Professor McGonagall darkly. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."

"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"

"He did," said Fudge heavily. "And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed —"

"Black betrayed them?" breathed Madam Rosmerta.

"He did indeed."

Alicia slumped onto her knees on the floor in shock.

"Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colours as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it —"

"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet.

"Shh!" said Professor McGonagall.

"I met him!" growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead… an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared.

"Hagrid, please!" said Professor McGonagall. "Keep your voice down!"

"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, 'Give Harry ter me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him —' Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there. 'I won't need it anymore,' he says.

"I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret-Keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him.

" _But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh_? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friends' son! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to 'em anymore…"

A long silence followed Hagrid's story. Then Madam Rosmerta said with some satisfaction, "But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him next day!"

"Alas, if only we had," said Fudge bitterly. "It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew — another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself."

"Pettigrew… that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" said Madam Rosmerta.

"Hero-worshipped Black and Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I — how I regret that now…" She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold.

"There, now, Minerva," said Fudge kindly, "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses — Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later — told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens…"

Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, "Stupid boy… foolish boy… he was always hopeless at duelling… should have left it to the Ministry…"

"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn't've messed around with wands — I'd've ripped him limb — from — limb," Hagrid growled.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," said Fudge sharply. "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I — I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him… a heap of bloodstained robes and a few — a few fragments —"

Fudge's voice stopped abruptly. There was the sound of five noses being blown.

"Well, there you have it, Rosmerta," said Fudge thickly. "Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."

Alicia felt like her body had seized up. She couldn't believe it.

Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh.

"Is it true he's mad, Minister?"

"I wish I could say that he was," said Fudge slowly. "I certainly believe his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man — cruel… pointless. Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark; there's no sense in them… but I was shocked at how _normal_ Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored — asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the dementors seemed to be having on him — and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night."

"But what do you think he's broken out to do?" said Madam Rosmerta. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You Know-Who, is he?"

"I daresay that is his — er — eventual plan," said Fudge evasively. "But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing… but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again…"

There was a small chink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass.

"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle," said Professor McGonagall. One by one, the pairs of feet in front of Harry and Alicia took the weight of their owners once more; hems of cloaks swung into sight, and Madam Rosemerta's glittering heels disappeared behind the bar. The door of the Three Broomsticks opened again, there was another flurry of snow, and the teachers had disappeared.

"Harry?"

"Alicia…?"

Ron's and Hermione's faces appeared under the table. They were both staring at them, lost for words.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Alicia didn't say a word. The conversation went through her head like it was stuck on repeat. She and Harry somehow went back to Honeydukes, through the passageway and into the castle, but she didn't remember the journey.

She wasn't surprised no one would tell her, most of the world thought she was dead… but Hagrid, the Minister… Dumbledore! Any of them could have told her, or more importantly, could have told Harry who would have told her! Didn't they think it was important to tell them that their parents were dead because of their best friend?

And yet, something was nagging in Alicia's brain. It was from the part that was good at piecing information.

Something was missing. It was like a twinge in her mind behind the swirling thoughts of betrayal.

Ron and Hermione watched Harry and Alicia nervously all through dinner, not daring to talk about what they'd overheard, because Percy was sitting close by them. When they went upstairs to the crowded common room, it was to find Fred and George had set off half a dozen Dungbombs in a fit of end-of-term high spirits.

Alicia, who didn't want Fred and George asking her whether she or Harry'd reached Hogsmeade or not, sneaked quietly up to the empty dormitory. She sat on her bed, her knees to her chest and leaned her chin on her knees.

To think she had a family member, blood related or not, who turned out to betray and put her into an orphanage and Harry into the Dursley's.

" _Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought… I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead._ "

" _Ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!_ "

" _Both very bright, of course — exceptionally bright, in fact — but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers —_ "

" _You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!_ "

" _Inseparable!_ "

" _Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him god-father to Harry and their daughter, Alicia._ "

" _James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself…_ "

" _He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements,_ "

" _Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was._ "

" _It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew — another of the Potters' friends._ "

" _Pettigrew… that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?_ "

" _Hero-worshipped Black and Potter,_ "

" _Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens…_ "

" _A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him… a heap of bloodstained robes and a few — a few fragments —_ "

" _He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored — asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword._ "

Alicia looked at the empty dark room before her. She slowly moved to her trunk, grabbed her pyjamas, changed and got into bed after pulling the curtains closed around her.

The conversation played over and over in Alicia's mind. She didn't remember Hermione coming in to go to bed, or Lavender or Pavarti. She woke early but didn't move from her bed as she heard everyone packing up and getting ready to leave for the holidays. It wasn't until silence fluttered up the stairs that she got out of bed and dressed, grabbed all her homework and immersed herself in it without breakfast.

Ron and Hermione joined her, coming through the porthole a little while later and Alicia practically ignored them, she didn't need the conversation coming up again. Hermione set herself up opposite Alicia as they'd pushed all the tables together, their homework covering ever inch, and Ron sat by the fire entertaining himself.

It wasn't until Harry came down close to lunchtime that any of them spoke, however Alicia did notice the glances Ron and Hermione shot at one another.

"Harry, you — you look terrible." was the first think Ron said to him.

"Where is everyone?" said Harry.

"Gone! It's the first day of the holidays, remember?" said Ron, watching Harry closely. "It's nearly lunchtime; I was going to come and wake you up in a minute."

Harry slumped into a chair next to the fire. Snow was still falling outside the windows. Crookshanks was spread out in front of the fire like a large, ginger rug.

"You really don't look well, you know," Hermione said, peering anxiously into his face.

"I'm fine," said Harry.

"Harry," she turned to glance at Alicia "Alicia, listen," said Hermione, exchanging a look with Ron, "you must be really upset about what we heard yesterday. But the thing is, you mustn't go doing anything stupid."

"Like what?" said Harry.

"Like trying to go after Black," said Ron sharply.

Harry didn't say anything and Alicia only paused with her quil for a second before continuing. She knew Harry was probably thinking that, it was why Mr Weasley had tried to get Harry to promise he wouldn't go after Black. She couldn't blame him, even if those thoughts weren't going through her head.

Of course Harry didn't need to go looking for Black, Black was already around and after Harry.

"You won't, will you, Harry?" said Hermione.

"Because Black's not worth dying for," said Ron.

Harry looked at them. Alicia raised her head and looked at him, her face saddened but somewhat plain.

"D'you know what I see and hear every time a dementor gets too near me?" Harry asked, turning his gaze from Alicia to Ron and Hermione "What we both hear?" the two looked at Alicia who was staring at the wall ahead of her, her face still grave.

They both shook their heads, looking apprehensive.

"We can hear my mum screaming and pleading with Voldemort. And if you'd heard your mum screaming like that, just about to be killed, you wouldn't forget it in a hurry. And if you found out someone who was supposed to be a friend of hers betrayed her and sent Voldemort after her —"

"There's nothing you can do!" said Hermione, looking stricken. "The dementors will catch Black and he'll go back to Azkaban and — and serve him right!"

"You heard what Fudge said. Black isn't affected by Azkaban like normal people are. It's not a punishment for him like it is for the others."

"So what are you saying?" said Ron, looking very tense. He glanced at Alicia who turned back to her homework. "You want to — to kill Black or something?"

"Don't be silly," said Hermione in a panicky voice. "Harry doesn't want to kill anyone, do you, Harry?"

Again, Harry didn't answer.

"Malfoy knows," he said abruptly. "Remember what he said to me in Potions? 'If it was me, I'd hunt him down myself… I'd want revenge.' "

"You're going to take Malfoy's advice instead of ours?" said Ron furiously. "Listen… you know what Pettigrew's mother got back after Black had finished with him? Dad told me — the Order of Merlin, First Class, and Pettigrew's finger in a box. That was the biggest bit of him they could find. Black's a madman, Harry, and he's dangerous —"

 _Finger?_ Alicia muttered, her eyes brows furrowing and the grave expression disappearing.

"Malfoy's dad must have told him," said Harry, ignoring Ron. "He was right in Voldemort's inner circle —"

" _Say You-Know-Who, will you_?" interjected Ron angrily.

"— so obviously, the Malfoys knew Black was working for Voldemort —"

"— and Malfoy'd love to see you blown into about a million pieces, like Pettigrew! Get a grip. Malfoy's just hoping you'll get yourself killed before he has to play you at Quidditch."

"Harry, _please,_ " said Hermione, her eyes now shining with tears, " _please_ be sensible. Black did a terrible, terrible thing, but d-don't put yourself in danger, it's what Black wants… Oh, Harry, you'd be playing right into Black's hands if you went looking for him. Your mum and dad wouldn't want you to get hurt, would they? They'd never want you to go looking for Black!"

Alicia dropped her quil at Hermione's words, a little anger in her now. Harry was apparently thinking the same thing.

"I'll never know what they'd have wanted, because thanks to Black, I've never spoken to them," said Harry shortly.

There was a silence in which Crookshanks stretched luxuriously, flexing his claws. Ron's pocket quivered.

Alicia eyed the cat and the pocket. She still had her suspicions about why Crookshanks was so out to get the rat.

"Look," said Ron, obviously casting around for a change of subject, "it's the holidays! It's nearly Christmas! Let's — let's go down and see Hagrid. We haven't visited him for ages!"

"No!" said Hermione quickly. "Harry isn't supposed to leave the castle, Ron —"

"Yeah, let's go," said Harry, sitting up, "and I can ask him how come he never mentioned Black when he told me all about my parents!"

Further discussion of Sirius Black plainly wasn't what Ron had had in mind.

"Or we could have a game of chess," he said hastily, "or Gobstones. Percy left a set —"

"No, let's visit Hagrid," said Harry firmly. Suddenly a small magnifying glass went flying across the room and hit Harry in the forehead.

"Ouch!" everyone turned to see Alicia on her feet and angry

"You really think Hagrid would want to tell us something like that!?" Alicia demanded "How would you like it if you had to tell someone their parents were dead because of their best friend. You can't blame Hagrid." she snapped "And what the hell are you having a go at everyone else for?" Hermione and Ron were looking surprised as Alicia pointed to them.

"Yeah, you're allowed to be angry but don't take it to on everyone around you."

"Oh and you haven't?" Harry questioned

"No." Ron and Hermione said

"She's hardly spoke to us." Hermione admitted

"Better then snapping your heads off." she admitted more calmly. No one argued at that

"You don't want to find out?" Harry asked

"I don't want to badger him for trying to keep our burdens light. Especially yours, or is people pointing at you every time you walk down the hall not enough attention?" Alicia wondered. Harry sighed as his angry eyes seemed to soften.

There was silence for a minute before there was a tapping at the window. Alicia turned to see Noel. She ignored the other three and moved to the window to let the owl in who sat on Alicia's table with a letter.

Alicia untied it and sat down to read it before her face turned confused. She looked up at the others.

"It's from Hagrid." she muttered

"So we're going after all." Ron sighed.

"What does it say?"

"Can you please come and see me." Alicia read. She turned the page around for the others to see it was covered in large blotches of water, the ink smudged in some places.

So they got their cloaks from their dormitories and set off through the portrait hole ("Stand and fight, you yellow-bellied mongrels!"), down through the empty castle and out through the oak front doors.

They made their way slowly down the lawn, making a shallow trench in the glittering, powdery snow, their socks and the hems of their cloaks soaked and freezing. The Forbidden Forest looked as though it had been enchanted, each tree smattered with silver, and Hagrid's cabin looked like an iced cake.

Ron knocked, but there was no answer.

"He's not out, is he?" said Hermione, who was shivering under her cloak.

Ron had his ear to the door.

"There's a weird noise," he said. "Listen — is that Fang?"

Alicia, Harry and Hermione put their ears to the door too. From inside the cabin came a series of low, throbbing moans.

"I think Hagrid's crying." Alicia muttered thinking back to the letter.

"Think we'd better go and get someone?" said Ron nervously.

"Hagrid!" called Harry, thumping the door. "Hagrid, are you in there?"

"Hagrid it's us!" Alicia called.

There was a sound of heavy footsteps, then the door creaked open. Hagrid stood there with his eyes red and swollen, tears splashing down the front of his leather vest.

He looked at them all before suddenly flinging himself onto Harry's neck.

Hagrid being at least twice the size of a normal man, this was no laughing matter. Harry, about to collapse under Hagrid's weight, was rescued by Alicia, Ron and Hermione, the latter two each seized Hagrid under an arm and heaved him back into the cabin. Hagrid allowed himself to be steered into a chair and slumped over the table, sobbing uncontrollably, his face glazed with tears that dripped down into his tangled beard.

"Hagrid, what _is_ it?" said Hermione, aghast.  
Harry spotted an official-looking letter lying open on the table. "What's this, Hagrid?"  
Hagrid's sobs redoubled, but he shoved the letter toward Harry, who picked it up and read aloud:

 _Dear Mr. Hagrid,  
Further to our inquiry into the attack by a hippogriff on a student in your class, we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident. _

"Well, that's okay then, Hagrid!" said Ron, clapping Hagrid on the shoulder. But Hagrid continued to sob, and waved one of his gigantic hands, inviting Harry to read on.

 _However, we must register our concern about the hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr. Lucius Malfoy, and this matter will therefore be taken to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated._

 _Yours in fellowship…_

There followed a list of the school governors.

Alicia looked at it sadly

"Oh," said Ron. "But you said Buckbeak isn't a bad hippogriff, Hagrid. I bet he'll get off—"

"Yeh don' know them gargoyles at the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures!" choked Hagrid, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "They've got it in fer interestin' creatures!"

A sudden sound from the corner of Hagrid's cabin made Alicia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione whip around. Buckbeak the hippogriff was lying in the corner, chomping on something that was oozing blood all over the floor.

"I couldn' leave him tied up out there in the snow!" choked Hagrid. "All on his own! At Christmas."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another as Alicia moved over to the hippogriff.

"Poor thing." They had never seen eye to eye with Hagrid about what he called "interesting creatures" and other people called "terrifying monsters." Buckbeak was probably the first creature Hagrid had that Alicia didn't believe to be harmful, other then Fang.

"You'll have to put up a good strong defence, Hagrid," said Hermione, sitting down and laying a hand on Hagrid's massive forearm. "I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak is safe."

"Won't make no diff'rence!" sobbed Hagrid. "Them Disposal devils, they're all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket! Scared o' him! An' if I lose the case, Buckbeak —"

Hagrid drew his finger swiftly across his throat, then gave a great wail and lurched forward, his face in his arms.

"What about Dumbledore, Hagrid?" said Harry.

"He's done more'n enough fer me already," groaned Hagrid. "Got enough on his plate what with keepin' them dementors outta the castle, an' Sirius Black lurkin' around —"

Ron and Hermione looked quickly at Harry, as though expecting him to start berating Hagrid for not telling him the truth about Black. Alicia however didn't believe Harry would be able to bring himself to do it, not now that he saw Hagrid so miserable and scared.

"Listen, Hagrid," he said, "you can't give up. Hermione's right, you just need a good defence. You can call us as witnesses —"

"I'm sure I've read about a case of hippogriff-baiting," said Hermione thoughtfully, "where the hippogriff got off. I'll look it up for you, Hagrid, and see exactly what happened."

Hagrid howled still more loudly. Harry and Hermione looked at Ron to help them.

"Er — shall I make a cup of tea?" said Ron.

Harry stared at him.

"It's what my mum does whenever someone's upset," Ron muttered, shrugging.

At last, after many more assurances of help, with a steaming mug of tea in front of him, Hagrid blew his nose on a handkerchief the size of a tablecloth and said, "Yer right. I can' afford to go ter pieces. Gotta pull meself together…"

Fang the boarhound came timidly out from under the table and laid his head on Hagrid's knee.

"I've not bin meself lately," said Hagrid, stroking Fang with one hand and mopping his face with the other. "Worried abou' Buckbeak, an' no one likin' me classes —"

"We do like them!" lied Hermione at once.

"Yeah, they're great!" said Ron, crossing his fingers under the table. "Er — how are the flobberworms?"

"Dead," said Hagrid gloomily. "Too much lettuce."

"Oh no!" said Ron, his lip twitching.

"An' them dementors make me feel ruddy terrible an' all," said Hagrid, with a sudden shudder. "Gotta walk past 'em ev'ry time I want a drink in the Three Broomsticks. 'S like bein' back in Azkaban —"

He fell silent, gulping his tea. Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione watched him breathlessly. They had never heard Hagrid talk about his brief spell in Azkaban before. After a pause, Hermione said timidly, "Is it awful in there, Hagrid?"

"Yeh've no idea," said Hagrid quietly. "Never bin anywhere like it. Thought I was goin' mad. Kep' goin' over horrible stuff in me mind… the day I got expelled from Hogwarts… day me dad died… day I had ter let Norbert go…"

His eyes filled with tears. Norbert was the baby dragon Hagrid had once won in a game of cards.

"Yeh can' really remember who yeh are after a while. An' yeh can' see the point o' livin' at all. I used ter hope I'd jus' die in me sleep.… When they let me out, it was like bein' born again, ev'rythin' came floodin' back, it was the bes' feelin' in the world. Mind, the dementors weren't keen on lettin' me go."

"But you were innocent!" said Hermione.

Hagrid snorted.

"Think that matters to them? They don' care. Long as they've got a couple o' hundred humans stuck there with 'em, so they can leech all the happiness out of 'em, they don' give a damn who's guilty an' who's not."

Hagrid went quiet for a moment, staring into his tea. Then he said quietly, "Thought o' jus' letting Buckbeak go… tryin' ter make him fly away… but how d'yeh explain ter a hippogriff it's gotta go inter hidin'? An' — an' I'm scared o' breakin' the law…" He looked up at them, tears leaking down his face again. "I don' ever want ter go back ter Azkaban."

The trip to Hagrid's, though far from fun, had nevertheless had the effect Ron and Hermione had hoped. Though Harry had by no means forgotten about Black, he couldn't brood constantly on revenge if he wanted to help Hagrid win his case against the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. He, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione went to the library the next day and returned to the empty common room laden with books that might help prepare a defence for Buckbeak. The four of them sat in front of the roaring fire, slowly turning the pages of dusty volumes about famous cases of marauding beasts, speaking occasionally when they ran across something relevant.

"Here's something… there was a case in 1722… but the hippogriff was convicted — ugh, look what they did to it, that's disgusting —"

"This might help, look — a manticore savaged someone in 1296, and they let the manticore off — oh — no, that was only because everyone was too scared to go near it…"

Meanwhile, in the rest of the castle, the usual magnificent Christmas decorations had been put up, despite the fact that hardly any of the students remained to enjoy them. Thick streamers of holly and mistletoe were strung along the corridors, mysterious lights shone from inside every suit of armour, and the Great Hall was filled with its usual twelve Christmas trees, glittering with golden stars. A powerful and delicious smell of cooking pervaded the corridors, and by Christmas Eve, it had grown so strong that even Scabbers poked his nose out of the shelter of Ron's pocket to sniff hopefully at the air.

On Christmas morning Hermione shook Alicia awake and shoved a present under her nose.

"Merry Christmas!" she grinned.

Hermione had given her some wizard perfume, and the smell was divine when Alicia sprayed it.

"Wow," she breathed grinning. With the perfume however was a little wrapped parcel, after opening Alicia found a small charm there, it was a cat.

"I noticed the bracelet you've always been wearing." Hermione admitted with a smile. Alicia looked down at it on her wrist, the bracelet from Portia and Alex, it had done the job and between all her homework Alicia had sent the two girls numerous letters.

Alicia attached it to her bracelet grinning

"Thanks. Here's yours. Merry Christmas Hermione."

Alicia had gotten Hermione some special ink for special occasions, a nice bracelet she'd ordered and book on Egypt's History.

"I seem to remember you saying it'd be fascinating." Alicia grinned. Hermione beamed.

"And for Crookshanks," Alicia pulled out a toy rat that ran around away from the cat as though real. The small tiger was more then happy to chase it around as the girls laughed.

Alicia got another jacket from Mrs Weasley with some homemade sweets, but instead of purple like the last two years, it was scarlet. She grinned as she pulled it on and then found Ron had given her some raspberry lollies from Honeydukes and some funny contraptions from Zonko's she didn't know the use for yet.

Then, there was only one package left. It was long and thin.

"What's that?" Hermione asked

"Dunno yet," Alicia pulled the wrapping off and her mouth dropped open as she stared at it.

It was a firebolt, better then the last one and exactly the same as the one that had been in Diagon Alley of which Harry and Alicia had stared at.

"Who gave you that!?" Hermione demanded.

Alicia shuffled through the wrappings but nothing fell out.

"I don't know,"

"They didn't say?"

"No." Alicia muttered as all she did was admire the broom.

"Come on, I've got the presents for the boys." Hermione said.

Alicia was out of bed with her broom in her hand before Hermione had even managed to move an inch. She ran from their dormitory to the boys and swung the door open.

"Harry!" she said and the to boys jumped and looked at her. Alicia's eyes were wide and her mouth open as she saw the two were ogling over something.

It was another Firebolt.

"Look what Harry got." Ron beamed "It's better then your last one!"

Alicia, holding her broom behind her back walked towards them staring.

"Who gave it to you?" she wondered

"We don't know it was anonymous." Harry admitted. Alicia's mouth was still hanging open

"What?" Ron asked "I know it's amazing, but you could be excited."

Alicia turned to him and held up her own broom, still with her mouth agape. The boys jumped to their feet shocked.

"You got one too!" They chorused. Alicia nodded

"And it didn't say who it was from." she admitted

"Who would spend that much money on your two!?" Ron demanded "Are you sure you don't have another relative!?"

"Who doesn't have another relative?" Hermione asked as she walked in with Crookshanks, who was looking very grumpy, with now a string of tinsel tied around his neck.

"Don't bring him in here!" said Ron, hurriedly snatching Scabbers from the depths of his bed and stowing him in his pyjama pocket.

But Hermione wasn't listening. She dropped Crookshanks onto Seamus's empty bed and stared, open-mouthed, at the Firebolt.

"You got one too!?" she demanded. "Oh, _Harry_! Who sent you _that_?"  
"No idea," said Harry. "There wasn't a card or anything with it." To his great surprise, Hermione did not appear either excited or intrigued by the news. On the contrary, her face fell, and she bit her lip, she looked from both Alicia to Harry.

"What's the matter with you?" said Ron.

"I don't know," said Hermione slowly, "but it's a bit odd, isn't it? I mean, this is supposed to be quite a good broom, isn't it?"

Ron sighed exasperatedly.

"It's the best broom there is, Hermione," he said.

"So it must've been really expensive…"

"Probably cost more than all the Slytherins' brooms put together," said Ron happily.

"Well… who'd send Harry _and_ Alicia something as expensive as that, and not even tell them they'd sent it?" said Hermione.

"Who cares?" said Ron impatiently.

But Alicia knew what Hermione was thinking, not only that but there was only one person who she thought would send both Harry and her, siblings, a gift. But it didn't fit to send them something this wonderful… Black was after all trying to kill Harry, godfather or not…

"Listen, Harry, can I have a go on it? Can I?" Ron demanded

"I don't think anyone should ride that broom just yet!" said Hermione shrilly.

Harry and Ron looked at her.

"What d'you think Harry's going to do with it — sweep the floor?" said Ron.

But before Hermione could answer, Crookshanks sprang from Seamus's bed, right at Ron's chest.

"GET — HIM — OUT — OF — HERE!" Ron bellowed as Crookshanks's claws ripped his pyjamas and Scabbers attempted a wild escape over his shoulder. Ron seized Scabbers by the tail and aimed a misjudged kick at Crookshanks that hit the trunk at the end of Harry's bed, knocking it over and causing Ron to hop up and down, howling with pain.

Crookshanks's fur suddenly stood on end. A shrill, tinny whistling was filling the room. The Pocket Sneakoscope had become dislodged from Uncle Vernon's old socks and was whirling and gleaming on the floor.

"I forgot about that!" Harry said, bending down and picking up the Sneakoscope. "I never wear those socks if I can help it…

The Sneakoscope whirled and whistled in his palm. Crookshanks was hissing and spitting at it.

Alicia stared at the Sneakerscope with calculation. Twice it had gone off now and both time Crookshanks had been after Scabbers… what did Crookshanks have against the rat?

"You'd better take that cat out of here, Hermione," said Ron furiously, sitting on Harry's bed nursing his toe. "Can't you shut that thing up?" he added to Harry as Hermione strode out of the room, Crookshanks's yellow eyes still fixed maliciously on Ron.

Harry stuffed the Sneakoscope back inside the socks and threw it back into his trunk. All that could be heard now were Ron's stifled moans of pain and rage. Scabbers was huddled in Ron's hands. It had been a while since anyone had seen him out of Ron's pocket, and Alicia was unpleasantly surprised to see that Scabbers, once so fat, was now very skinny; patches of fur seemed to have fallen out too.

"He's not looking too good, is he?" Harry said.

"It's stress!" said Ron. "He'd be fine if that big stupid furball left him alone!"

Alicia eyed the rat suspiciously.

"I don't know what Hermione was going on about though." Ran said annoyed

"She thinks Black sent us the brooms." Alicia said casually.

"What?" the boys chorused

"Better hide it Harry, yours'll definitely be confiscated if she taddles." Alicia warned, she then turned from the room, one last look at Scabbers and went back to her own dormitory. Christmas spirit was definitely thin on the ground in the Gryffindor common room that morning. Hermione had shut Crookshanks in her dormitory, but was furious with Ron for trying to kick him; Ron was still fuming about Crookshanks's fresh attempt to eat Scabbers.

Harry gave up trying to make them talk to each other, Alicia hadn't even bothered, and both where examining the Firebolts, which they had brought down to the common room with him. Both were talking about them excitedly. For some reason this seemed to annoy Hermione as well; she didn't say anything, but she kept looking darkly at the brooms as though they too had been criticising her cat.

At lunchtime they went down to the Great Hall, to find that the House tables had been moved against the walls again, and that a single table, set for twelve, stood in the middle of the room. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick were there, along with Filch, the caretaker, who had taken off his usual brown coat and was wearing a very old and rather moldy-looking tailcoat. There were only two other students both extremely nervous-looking first years.

"Merry Christmas!" said Dumbledore as Alicia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione approached the table. "As there are so few of us, it seemed foolish to use the House tables… Sit down, sit down!"

Alicia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down side by side at the end of the table.

"Crackers!" said Dumbledore enthusiastically, offering the end of a large silver noisemaker to Snape, who took it reluctantly and tugged. With a bang like a gunshot, the cracker flew apart to reveal a large, pointed witch's hat topped with a stuffed vulture.

Harry and Ron both grinned; Snape's mouth thinned and he pushed the hat toward Dumbledore, who swapped it for his wizard's hat at once.

"Dig in!" he advised the table, beaming around.

As Alicia was helping herself to roast chicken, the doors of the Great Hall opened again. It was Professor Trelawney, gliding toward them as though on wheels. She had put on a green sequinned dress in honour of the occasion, making her look more than ever like a glittering, oversized dragonfly.

"Sibyll, this is a pleasant surprise!" said Dumbledore, standing up.

"I have been crystal gazing, Headmaster," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest, most faraway voice, "and to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the promptings of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, and I do beg you to forgive my lateness…"

"Certainly, certainly," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Let me draw you up a chair —"

And he did indeed draw a chair in midair with his wand, which revolved for a few seconds before falling with a thud between Professors Snape and McGonagall. Professor Trelawney, however, did not sit down; her enormous eyes had been roving around the table, and she suddenly uttered a kind of soft scream.

"I dare not, Headmaster! If I join the table, we shall be thirteen! Nothing could be more unlucky! Never forget that when thirteen dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die!"

"We'll risk it, Sibyll," said Professor McGonagall impatiently. "Do sit down, the turkey's getting stone cold."

Professor Trelawney hesitated, then lowered herself into the empty chair, eyes shut and mouth clenched tight, as though expecting a thunderbolt to hit the table. Professor McGonagall poked a large spoon into the nearest tureen.

"Tripe, Sibyll?"

Professor Trelawney ignored her. Eyes open again, she looked around once more and said, "But where is dear Professor Lupin?"

"I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again," said Dumbledore, indicating that everybody should start serving themselves. "Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas Day."

"But surely you already knew that, Sibyll?" said Professor McGonagall, her eyebrows raised.

Professor Trelawney gave Professor McGonagall a very cold look.

"Certainly I knew, Minerva," she said quietly. "But one does not parade the fact that one is All-Knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous."

"That explains a great deal," said Professor McGonagall tartly.

Professor Trelawney's voice suddenly became a good deal less misty.

"If you must know, Minerva, I have seen that poor Professor Lupin will not be with us for very long. He seems aware, himself, that his time is short. He positively fled when I offered to crystal gaze for him —"

"Imagine that," said Professor McGonagall dryly.

"I doubt," said Dumbledore, in a cheerful but slightly raised voice, which put an end to Professor McGonagall and Professor Trelawney's conversation, "that Professor Lupin is in any immediate danger. Severus, you've made the potion for him again?"

"Yes, Headmaster," said Snape.

"Good," said Dumbledore. "Then he should be up and about in no time… Derek, have you had any of these chipolatas? They're excellent."

The first-year boy went furiously red on being addressed directly by Dumbledore, and took the platter of sausages with trembling hands.

Professor Trelawney behaved almost normally until the very end of Christmas dinner, two hours later. Full to bursting with Christmas dinner and still wearing their party hats, Harry, Alicia and Ron got up first from the table and she shrieked loudly.

"My dears! Which of you left their seat first? Which?"

"Dunno," said Ron, looking uneasily at Harry.

"I doubt it will make much difference," said Professor McGonagall coldly, "unless a mad axe-man is waiting outside the doors to slaughter the first into the entrance hall."

Even Ron laughed. Professor Trelawney looked highly affronted.

"Coming?" Harry said to Hermione.

"No," Hermione muttered, "I want a quick word with Professor McGonagall."

"Probably trying to see if she can take any more classes," yawned Ron as they made their way into the entrance hall. Alicia however eyed Hermione unhappily as they left. Hermione didn't meet her gaze.

"Actually, I don't think I'm going to be talking to her for a while." Alicia admitted

"Why?" Ron asked, but he shied away when seeing Alicia's expression.

When they reached the portrait hole, they found Sir Cadogan enjoying a Christmas party with a couple of monks, several previous headmasters of Hogwarts, and his fat pony. He pushed up his visor and toasted them with a flagon of mead.

"Merry — hic — Christmas! Password?"

"Scurvy cur," said Ron.

"And the same to you, sir!" roared Sir Cadogan as the painting swung forward to admit them.

Harry went straight up to the dormitory, collected the Firebolt and the Broomstick Servicing Kit Hermione had given him for his birthday, brought them downstairs, and tried to find something to do to the Firebolt; however, there were no bent twigs to clip, and the handle was so shiny already it seemed pointless to polish it. He, Alicia and Ron simply sat admiring it from every angle until the portrait hole opened, and Hermione came in, accompanied by Professor McGonagall.

Alicia was on her feet and to the boys surprise, she was glaring at Hermione.

Though Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, they had seen her in the common room only once before, and that had been to make a very grave announcement. He and Ron stared at her, both holding the Firebolt. Hermione walked around them, sat down, picked up the nearest book, and hid her face behind it.

"So that's it, is it?" said Professor McGonagall beadily, walking over to the fireside and staring at the Firebolt. "Miss Granger has just informed me that you have been sent a broomstick, Potter."

Harry and Ron looked around at Hermione. They could see her forehead reddening over the top of her book, which was upside down.

"May I?" said Professor McGonagall, but she didn't wait for an answer before pulling the Firebolt out of their hands. She examined it carefully from handle to twig-ends. "Hmm. And there was no note at all, Potter? No card? No message of any kind?"

"No," said Harry blankly.

"I see…" said Professor McGonagall. "Well, I'm afraid I will have to take this, Potter."

"W — what?" said Harry, scrambling to his feet. "Why?"

"It will need to be checked for jinxes," said Professor McGonagall. "Of course, I'm no expert, but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down —"

"Strip it down?" repeated Ron, as though Professor McGonagall was mad.

"It shouldn't take more than a few weeks," said Professor McGonagall. "You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free. Mrs Evans I will be taking yours too if you'll go get it."

"There's nothing wrong with it!" said Harry, his voice shaking slightly. "Honestly, Professor —"

"You can't know that, Potter," said Professor McGonagall, quite kindly, "not until you've flown it, at any rate, and I'm afraid that is out of the question until we are certain that it has not been tampered with. I shall keep you informed. Mrs Evans."

Alicia collected the other Firebolt with a glare plastered on her face and handed it over.

Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and carried the Firebolts out of the portrait hole, which closed behind her. Harry stood staring after her, the tin of High-Finish Polish still clutched in his hands. Ron, however, rounded on Hermione.

" _What did you go running to McGonagall for_?"

Hermione threw her book aside. She was still pink in the face, but stood up and faced Ron defiantly.

"Because I thought — and Professor McGonagall agrees with me — that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!"

"That does not give you the right to make the decision to get it snatched from us!" Alicia snapped at Hermione, the boys were more then surprised. Ron and Hermione had had every spit under the sun, but Alicia had never been angry with her.

"You should have said something or bloody talked to us about it first!"

"You wouldn't have agreed."

"Of course not, especially as I already thought Black might have sent it, except that it was a ludicrous idea!" Alicia snapped "That does not mean you shouldn't have gone off on your own!" Hermione looked very surprised Alicia was angry with her as the girl pushed past her and up the stairs to the dormitory without a backwards glance.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

Alicia didn't speak to Hermione. Harry was angry at her also, despite knowing she meant well. Ron was furious with Hermione too. As far as he was concerned, the stripping-down of a brand-new Firebolt was nothing less than criminal damage, let alone two. Hermione, who remained convinced that she had acted for the best, started avoiding the common room. Harry and Ron supposed she had taken refuge in the library and didn't try to persuade her to come back. All in all, they were glad when the rest of the school returned shortly after New Year, and Gryffindor Tower became crowded and noisy again.

Wood sought Harry and Alicia out on the night before term started.

"Had a good Christmas?" he said, and then, without waiting for an answer, he sat down, lowered his voice, and said, "I've been doing some thinking over Christmas, Alicia, Harry. After the last match, you know. If the dementors come to the next one… I mean… we can't afford either of you to — well —"

Wood broke off, looking awkward.

"We're working on it," said Harry quickly looking at Alicia who nodded. "Professor Lupin said he'd train me to ward off the dementors. We should be starting this week. He said he'd have time after Christmas."

"Ah," said Wood, his expression clearing. "Well, in that case — I really didn't want to lose you as Seeker, Harry. And have either of you ordered a new broom yet?"

"No," said Harry and Alicia.

"What! You'd better get a move on, you know — you can't ride that Shooting Star against Ravenclaw!"

"They both got a Firebolt for Christmas," said Ron.

"A _Firebolt_? No! Seriously? A — The _new_ one? Both of you?"

Alicia was reading the book in front of her angrily

"Don't get excited, Oliver," said Harry gloomily. "Neither of us have got it anymore. They were confiscated." And he explained all about how the Firebolt was now being checked for jinxes.

"Jinxed? How could it be jinxed?"

"Sirius Black," Harry said wearily. "He's supposed to be after me. So McGonagall reckons he might have sent them."

"So she came and took them both." Alicia ground her teeth.

Waving aside the information that a famous murderer was after his Seeker, Wood said, "But Black couldn't have bought a Firebolt! He's on the run! The whole country's on the lookout for him! How could he just walk into Quality Quidditch Supplies and buy a broomstick?"

"I know," said Harry,

"That's what I thought." Alicia nodded

"But McGonagall still wants to strip them down —"

Wood went pale.

"I'll go and talk to her, Harry," he promised. "I'll make her see reason… A Firebolt… two real Firebolts, on our team… She wants Gryffindor to win as much as we do… I'll make her see sense. A _Firebolt…_ "

* * *

Classes started again the next day. The last thing anyone felt like doing was spending two hours on the grounds on a raw January morning, but Hagrid had provided a bonfire full of salamanders for their enjoyment, and they spent an unusually good lesson collecting dry wood and leaves to keep the fire blazing while the flame-loving lizards scampered up and down the crumbling, white-hot logs. The first Divination lesson of the new term was much less fun; Professor Trelawney was now teaching them palmistry, and she lost no time in informing Harry that he had the shortest life line she had ever seen.

It was Defence Against the Dark Arts that everyone was keen to get to, but Alicia and Harry more then everyone else; after their conversation with Wood, they wanted to get started on the anti-dementor lessons as soon as possible.

"Ah yes," said Lupin, when Harry reminded him of his promise at the end of class. "Let me see… how about eight o'clock on Thursday evening? The History of Magic classroom should be large enough… I'll have to think carefully about how we're going to do this… We can't bring a real dementor into the castle to practice on…"

"Still looks ill, doesn't he?" said Ron as they walked down the corridor, heading to dinner. "What d'you reckon's the matter with him?" There was a loud and impatient "tuh" from behind them. It was Hermione, who had been sitting at the feet of a suit of armour, repacking her bag, which was so full of books it wouldn't close.

"And what are you tutting at us for?" said Ron irritably.

"Nothing," said Hermione in a lofty voice, heaving her bag back over her shoulder.

"Yes, you were," said Ron. "I said I wonder what's wrong with Lupin, and you —"

"Well, isn't it _obvious_?" said Hermione, with a look of maddening superiority.

"If you don't want to tell us, don't," snapped Ron.

"Fine," said Hermione haughtily, and she marched off.

"She doesn't know," said Ron, staring resentfully after Hermione. "She's just trying to get us to talk to her again."

"No she does know." Alicia admitted and the boys looked at her. "We figured it out a while back."

"What's wrong with him?" Ron wondered

"I'm not telling you."

"Why not?"

"It's not our secret to tell." she shrugged.

* * *

At eight o'clock on Thursday evening, Harry and Alicia left Gryffindor Tower for the History of Magic classroom. It was dark and empty when they arrived, but Harry lit the lamps with his wand and had waited only five minutes when Professor Lupin turned up, carrying a large packing case, which he heaved onto Professor Binns' desk.

"What's that?" said Harry.

"Another boggart," said Lupin, stripping off his cloak. "I've been combing the castle ever since Tuesday, and very luckily, I found this one lurking inside Mr. Filch's filing cabinet. It's the nearest we'll get to a real dementor. The boggart will turn into a dementor when he sees you, so we'll be able to practice on him. I can store him in my office when we're not using him; there's a cupboard under my desk he'll like."

"Okay," said Harry, trying to sound as though he wasn't apprehensive at all and merely glad that Lupin had found such a good substitute for a real dementor.

"What about if he changes to something else for me?" Alicia wondered

"Just think very hard on the experiences with the dementors. I'm sure that'll be enough to turn the boggart into a Dementor." Alicia nodded but didn't look convinced.

"So…" Professor Lupin had taken out his own wand, and indicated that Harry and Alicia should do the same. "The spell I am going to try and teach you is highly advanced magic — well beyond Ordinary Wizarding Level. It is called the Patronus Charm."

Alicia grinned, having heard of it, it wasn't a connection she'd made with the 'Azkaban guards' though.

"How does it work?" said Harry nervously.

"Well, when it works correctly, it conjures up a Patronus," said Lupin, "which is a kind of anti-dementor — a guardian that acts as a shield between you and the dementor."

"The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things that the dementor feeds upon — hope, happiness, the desire to survive — but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can, so the dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you both, Alicia, Harry, that the charm might be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have difficulty with it."

"Well, we wont know till we try." Alicia admitted

"What does a Patronus look like?" said Harry curiously.

"Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it."

"And how do you conjure it?"

"With an incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating, with all your might, on a single, very happy memory."

Alicia thought. It could be when she first came to Hogwarts… or when she got her letter… or when she met Harry, Hermione and Ron. Or when she saw her parents in the mirror or Erised in her first year, though she didn't know they were her parents then.

No, there was something a little more then that.

Alicia turned to Harry. It'd have to be when she found out she had a family member, and wasn't alone. The summer between their first and second year and second and third year.

Alicia nodded with a smile and Harry took a deep breath.

"Right," he said.

"Which of you would like to go first?" Lupin asked. The two shared a look

"I don't mind." Alicia admitted

"Can I?" Harry asked. Alicia nodded and she stepped to the side, away from Harry.

"The incantation is this —" Lupin cleared his throat. " _Expecto patronum_!"

" _Expecto patronum_ ," Harry repeated under his breath, " _expecto patronum._ "

"Concentrating hard on your happy memory?"

"Oh — yeah —" said Harry " _Expecto patrono_ — no, _patronum_ — sorry — _expecto patronum, expecto patronum_ —"

Something whooshed suddenly out of the end of his wand; it looked like a wisp of silvery gas.

"Did you see that?" said Harry excitedly. "Something happened!"

"Very good," said Lupin, smiling. "Right, then — ready to try it on a dementor?"

"Yes," Harry said, gripping his wand very tightly, and moving into the middle of the deserted classroom. Alicia bit her lip as she watched him.

Lupin grasped the lid of the packing case and pulled.

A dementor rose slowly from the box, its hooded face turned toward Harry, one glistening, scabbed hand gripping its cloak. The lamps around the classroom flickered and went out. The dementor stepped from the box and started to sweep silently toward Harry, drawing a deep, rattling breath. A wave of piercing cold broke over Alicia as she watched worried.

" _Expecto patronum_!" Harry yelled. " _Expecto patronum_! _Expecto_ —"

"Harry!" Alicia called as his knees collapsed.

"Alicia." Lupin said as he moved to Harry. Alicia looked at the dementor, stepped forwards and the boggart turned to her.

She took a deep breath and remembered her summers with Harry, the loneliness vanishing, having a family member.

" _Expecto patronum._ " A white whispery silver figure emerged from her wand. It stood in the air between her and the dementor. Alicia grinned. The figure looked like an owl.

" _Riddikulus."_ she said. Like she'd thought when first fighting the boggart, a giant fan grew and blew the boggart back into the chest.

Alicia relit the lamps and joined Lupin next to Harry on the floor.

"Harry!"

Harry jerked back to life. He didn't ask what happened

"Sorry," he muttered, sitting up and feeling cold sweat trickling down behind his glasses.

Alicia handed him a handkerchief.

"Are you all right?" said Lupin.

"Yes…" Harry pulled himself up on one of the desks and leaned against it.

"Here —" Lupin handed him and Alicia a Chocolate Frog. "Eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it your first time; in fact, I would have been astounded if you had." He turned to Alicia,

"I am astounded you did." he corrected and Alicia smiled

"Y-You did it?" Harry asked her

"Yeah." Alicia smiled

"How?"

"I took a deep breath and thought over my memory." Harry sighed

"I hope I can, it's getting worse." he muttered, biting off the Frog's head. "I could hear her louder that time — and him — Voldemort —"

Lupin looked paler than usual.

"Harry, if you don't want to continue, I will more than understand —"

"I do!" said Harry fiercely, stuffing the rest of the Chocolate Frog into his mouth. "I've got to! What if the dementors turn up at our match against Ravenclaw? I can't afford to fall off again. If we lose this game we've lost the Quidditch Cup!"

"All right then…" said Lupin. "You might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean, to concentrate on…. That one doesn't seem to have been strong enough…"

Harry thought and Lupin looked at Alicia.

"How about you go first this time?" he offered, Alicia looked at Harry who nodded.

Lupin opened the lid and the boggart same out.

" _Expecto patronum._ " Alicia's voice was rather calm and the silvery mist came out of the tip of her wand again. It flapped it's enormous wings at the boggart which descended back into the chest quickly.

"Well done." Alicia grinned as she and Harry received more chocolate. This time Lupin broke the frog in half. "Think you can do it this time Harry?" Lupin asked. He looked more determined and nodded, gripping his wand.

"Ready?" said Lupin, gripping the box lid.

"Ready," said Harry

"Go!" said Lupin, pulling off the lid. The room went icily cold and dark once more. The dementor glided forward, drawing its breath; one rotting hand was extending toward Harry —

" _Expecto patronum_!" Harry yelled. " _Expecto patronum_! _Expecto pat_ —"

Alicia felt the cold over her as she watched Harry fall to the floor and she moved towards him, but forgot the spell. Lupin rushed in and put the boggart back into the chest. Alicia was breathing a little faster, but didn't pass out.

"Harry!" she shook him, shaking the white mist from her head as Lupin relit the lamps "Harry… wake up…" Alicia tapped his face

"I heard my dad," Harry mumbled. Lupin stopped as he walked over to the two.

"What?" Alicia wondered

"I heard dad." Harry repeated as Alicia helped him sit up. "That's the first time I've ever heard him — he tried to take on Voldemort himself, to give mum time to run for it…"

Alicia looked at him sadly as she saw he had tears on his face mingling with the sweat.

"He did?" she whispered sitting down on the dust floor beside him. She almost wished she could pass out too, to hear what his voice sounded like.

Harry bent his face as low as possible, wiping the tears off on his robes, pretending to do up his shoelace.

"You heard James?" said Lupin in a strange voice. Alicia looked at him confused.

"Yeah…" Face dry, Harry looked up. "Why — you didn't know my dad, did you?"

"I — I did, as a matter of fact," said Lupin. "We were friends at Hogwarts." Alicia's eyebrows rose as she and Harry shared a knowing glance.

That meant he was friends with Sirus Black…  
Snape's conversation with Dumbledore on the night of Halloween passed through her mind, but she pushed it aside. Lupin wouldn't do something like that… though it did explain why Snape was suspicious.

"Listen, Harry — perhaps we should leave it here for tonight. This charm is ridiculously advanced… I shouldn't have suggested putting you through this…"

"No!" said Harry. He got up again. "I'll have one more go! I'm not thinking of happy enough things, that's what it is… Hang on…" he thought and then turned to Alicia who was still on the floor next to him.

"What did you think of?"

Alicia got to her feet and brushed the dust from her robes.

"When I found out I had a brother, a family member, and I wasn't alone." she smiled.

Harry looked up at her before he too got to his feet. He turned to face the chest, wand in hand.

"Ready?" said Lupin, who looked as though he were doing this against his better judgment. Harry looked at Alicia who smiled confidently and moved away from Harry.

"Concentrating hard? All right — go!" Lupin pulled off the lid of the case for the fourth time, and the dementor rose out of it; the room fell cold and dark —

" _EXPECTO PATRONUM_!" Harry bellowed. " _EXPECTO PATRONUM_! _EXPECTO PATRONUM_!"

Something silvery finally sprang from Harry's wand and hovered between him and the dementor as Alicia's Patronus had done.

" _Riddikulus_!" roared Lupin, springing forward.

There was a loud crack, and Harry's cloudy Patronus vanished along with the dementor; Harry sank into a chair, his legs shaking. Professor Lupin forced the boggart back into the packing case with his wand; it had turned into a moon again.

"Well done!" Alicia grinned as she stood before Harry

"Excellent!" Lupin said, striding over to where Harry sat. "Excellent, Harry! That was definitely a start!"

"Can we have another go? Just one more go?"

"Not now," said Lupin firmly. "You've had enough for one night. Here —"

He handed the twins a large bar of Honeydukes' best chocolate.

"Eat the lot, or Madam Pomfrey will be after my blood. Same time next week?"

"Okay," said Harry. He took a bite of the chocolate and the two watched Lupin extinguishing the lamps that had rekindled with the disappearance of the dementor.

And then Harry asked what Alicia had suspected.

"Professor Lupin?" he said. "If you knew my dad, you must've known Sirius Black as well."

Lupin turned very quickly.

"What gives you that idea?" he said sharply.

"Nothing — I mean, I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts too…"

Alicia looked at Lupin confused at his sudden stiffness of the question…

Lupin's face relaxed.

"Yes, I knew him," he said shortly. "Or I thought I did. You'd both better be off, Harry, it's getting late."

"Thank you professor." Alicia smiled before she and Harry left the classroom.

They walked along the corridor and around a corner.

"Come on, I don't want to go back yet." Harry admitted. He took a detour behind a suit of armour and pulled Alicia down on its plinth to finish their chocolate.

"I shouldn't have mentioned Black." Harry muttered

"No, I think it's good you did, get it out there to someone we know about it. Maybe we can get a bit of insight as to what they were like, after this whole thing with Black's over." Alicia admitted

"Is it strange I want to hear their voices again?" Harry whispered.

Alicia to his surprise shook her head immediately.

"No." she said "Well, maybe to someone who hears them every day but…" she smiled slightly before looking down "I thought the same thing when you said you heard dad." she muttered.

Harry sighed.

"I can't produce a patronus if I want to hear them." he muttered

"I know." Alicia whispered. He looked at her and took a deep breath.

"They're dead," he said strongly "They're dead and listening to echoes of them won't bring them back. We'd better get a grip on ourselves if we want that Quidditch Cup."

Alicia nodded, though this truth stung a little. She then stood up and offered a hand to Harry before they crammed the last bit of chocolate into their mouths, and headed back to Gryffindor Tower.

* * *

Ravenclaw played Slytherin a week after the start of term. Slytherin won, though narrowly. According to Wood, this was good news for Gryffindor, who would take second place if they beat Ravenclaw too. He therefore increased the number of team practices to five a week. This meant that with Lupin's anti-dementor classes, which in themselves were more draining than six Quidditch practices, Harry and Alicia had just one night a week to do all their homework. Though Harry wasn't showing the strain nearly as much as Hermione, whose immense workload finally seemed to be getting to her. Every night, without fail, Hermione was to be seen in a corner of the common room, several tables spread with books, Arithmancy charts, rune dictionaries, diagrams of Muggles lifting heavy objects, and file upon file of extensive notes; she barely spoke to anybody and snapped when she was interrupted.

Alicia was even worse off then Hermione thanks to Quidditch and Lupin, however she used every hour of the weekend she didn't spend at Quidditch, studying.

"How's she doing it?" Ron muttered to Harry one evening as Harry sat finishing a nasty essay on Undetectable Poisons for Snape. Harry looked up. Hermione was barely visible behind a tottering pile of books. Alicia was sitting in front of them at the fire with papers surrounding her also. She didn't snap like Hermione did but she wasn't impressed when she was distracted, depending on how much she had to do.

"Doing what?"

"Getting to all her classes!" Ron said. He glanced at Alicia who kept her head down and continued to work like she couldn't hear them. "I heard her talking to Professor Vector, that Arithmancy witch, this morning. They were going on about yesterday's lesson, but Hermione can't've been there, because she was with us in Care of Magical Creatures! And Ernie McMillan told me she's never missed a Muggle Studies class, but half of them are at the same time as Divination, and she's never missed one of them either!"

Ron turned to Alicia and opened his mouth as if to ask but Alicia looked up at him and gave him a hard stare that caused him to not say a word.

Two seconds later, however, they were interrupted again, this time by Wood.

"Bad news, Harry, Alicia. I've just been to see Professor McGonagall about the Firebolts. She — er — got a bit _shirty_ with me. Told me I'd got my priorities wrong. Seemed to think I cared more about winning the Cup than I do about you staying alive. Just because I told her I didn't care if it threw you off, as long as you caught the Snitch first. Or as long as Alicia shot enough goals so we could win not matter who caught the snitch." Wood shook his head in disbelief. "Honestly, the way she was yelling at me… you'd think I'd said something terrible…" Alicia raised an eyebrow at him "Then I asked her how much longer she was going to keep them…" He screwed up his face and imitated Professor McGonagall's severe voice. "'As long as necessary, Wood'… I reckon it's time you both ordered a new broom. There's an order form at the back of _Which Broomstick…_ you could get a Nimbus Two Thousand and One, like Malfoy's got."

"I'm not buying anything Malfoy thinks is good," said Harry flatly.

"Pray Wood. Pray we'll have them back by the first game." Alicia sighed and she bowed her head to her books again.

* * *

January faded imperceptibly into February, with no change in the bitterly cold weather. The match against Ravenclaw was drawing nearer and nearer, but neither Harry nor Alicia had ordered a new broom. Alicia was more worried about her homework, though she was managing to stay more level headed and calm then Hermione. Who she still wasn't talking to.

Harry was now asking Professor McGonagall for news of the Firebolt after every Transfiguration lesson with Alicia, Ron standing hopefully at his shoulder, Hermione rushing past with her face averted.

"No, Potter, you can't have it back yet," Professor McGonagall told him the twelfth time this happened, before he'd even opened his mouth. "We've checked for most of the usual curses, but Professor Flitwick believes the broom might be carrying a Hurling Hex. I shall _tell_ you once we've finished checking it. Now, please stop badgering me."

To make matters even worse, Harry's anti-dementor lessons were not going nearly as well as he had hoped. Several sessions on, he was able to produce an indistinct, silvery shadow every time the boggart-dementor approached him, but his Patronus was too feeble to drive the dementor away. All it did was hover, like a semi-transparent cloud, draining Harry of energy as he fought to keep it there. Harry felt angry with himself, guilty about his secret desire to hear his parents' voices again.

Alicia however had gotten it down packed and only came to one every two weeks or so to get her homework done. She felt like this made Harry feel worse, as she could get it and he couldn't, but he never said anything, just worked harder.

"You're expecting too much of yourself," said Professor Lupin sternly in their fourth week of practice. "For a thirteen-year-old wizard, even an indistinct Patronus is a huge achievement."

"But Alicia can do it."

"I can do most spells you can't." Alicia shrugged "Doesn't mean you wont get it eventually." she rolled her eyes

"Alicia's just like her mother, I'm not surprised she can." Lupin admitted on one of the day Alicia had attended. "You aren't passing out anymore, are you?"

"I thought a Patronus would — charge the dementors down or something," said Harry dispiritedly. "Make them disappear —"

"The true Patronus does do that," said Lupin. "But you've achieved a great deal in a very short space of time. If the dementors put in an appearance at your next Quidditch match, you will be able to keep them at bay long enough to get back to the ground."

"You said it's harder if there are loads of them," said Harry.

"I have complete confidence in you," said Lupin, smiling. "Plus Alicia's out there with you too." he pointed "Here — you've earned a drink — something from the Three Broomsticks. You won't have tried it before —"

He pulled three bottles out of his briefcase.

"Butterbeer!" said Harry, without thinking. "Yeah, I like that stuff!" Alicia hit her forehead as Lupin raised an eyebrow.

"Oh — Ron and Hermione brought us some back from Hogsmeade," Harry lied quickly.

"I see," said Lupin, though he still looked slightly suspicious. "Well — let's drink to a Gryffindor victory against Ravenclaw! Not that I'm supposed to take sides, as a teacher…" he added hastily.

"You were a Gryffindor when you were at school weren't you?" Alicia wondered "Dad was a Gryffindor."

"I was." he smiled

"Well then. Old habit's die hard don't that." she smiled.

They drank the butterbeer in silence, until Harry voiced something he'd been wondering for a while.

"What's under a dementor's hood?"

Professor Lupin lowered his bottle thoughtfully.

"Hmmm… well, the only people who really know are in no condition to tell us. You see, the dementor lowers its hood only to use its last and worst weapon."

"What's that?"

"They call it the Dementor's Kiss," said Lupin, with a slightly twisted smile. "It's what dementors do to those they wish to destroy utterly. I suppose there must be some kind of mouth under there, because they clamp their jaws upon the mouth of the victim and — and suck out his soul."

Harry accidentally spat out a bit of butterbeer.

Alicia stared wide eyed with horror.  
"What — they kill — ?"

"Oh no," said Lupin. "Much worse than that. You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working. But you'll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no… anything. There's no chance at all of recovery. You'll just — exist. As an empty shell. And your soul is gone forever… lost."

Lupin drank a little more butterbeer, then said, "It's the fate that awaits Sirius Black. It was in the _Daily Prophet_ this morning. The Ministry have given the dementors permission to perform it if they find him."

Alicia, for some weird reason felt bad for the criminal. She doubled back when realising this… but then, no matter how bad a person was, did they deserve that? She didn't want that for him… after all, if there was one thing she'd want from the man, it'd be to ask why.

"He deserves it," Harry said suddenly causing Alicia to choke on her butterbear.

"What!?" she demanded

"You think so?" said Lupin lightly. "Do you really think anyone deserves that?"

"Yes," said Harry defiantly. Alicia nudged him to warn him and he muttered over his next words. "For… for some things…"

The three finished their butterbears, Alicia given Harry a look that said they needed to leave and they thanked the man before exiting the room.

"I shouldn't have asked." Harry muttered

"Yeah, I wish you hadn't." Alicia agreed.

They walked towards the Gryffindor tower when they suddenly ran into McGonagall headlong always up the stairs, Harry ran right into her actually.

"Do watch where you're going, Potter!"

"Sorry, Professor —" Alicia however had seen what was inner hands and was beaming.

"I've just been looking for you two in the Gryffindor common room. Well, here they are, we've done everything we could think of, and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with either of them, at all. You two've got a very good friend somewhere, Evans, Potter…"

Alicia beamed as McGonagall held up the two Firebolts and they looked as magnificent as ever.

"Really?" Alicia asked.

"I can have it back?" Harry said weakly. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," said Professor McGonagall, and she was actually smiling. "I daresay you'll need to get the feel of them before Saturday's match, won't you? And Potter — _do_ try and win, won't you? Or we'll be out of the running for the eighth year in a row, as Professor Snape was kind enough to remind me only last night…"

"As if we can fail with these!" Alicia grinned taking her broom. She and Harry shared a big high-five and that ran all the way back to the common room. As they turned a corner, she saw Ron dashing toward him, grinning from ear to ear.

"She gave it to you? Excellent! Listen, can I still have a go on it? Tomorrow?"

"We can have races on them!" Alicia grinned

"Yeah… anything… " said Harry, "You know what — we should make up with Hermione… She was only trying to help…"

"Seeing as we got them back, why not." Alicia grinned

"Yeah, all right," said Ron. "She's in the common room now — working, for a change —"

"And we should make an announcement to everyone so that they know we're going to whoop Slytherin's asses for the cup this year." Alicia decided.

They turned into the corridor to Gryffindor Tower and saw Neville Longbottom, pleading with Sir Cadogan, who seemed to be refusing him entrance.

"I wrote them down!" Neville was saying tearfully. "But I must've dropped them somewhere!"

"A likely tale!" roared Sir Cadogan. Then, spotting Harry and Ron: "Good even, my fine young yeomen! Come clap this loon in irons. He is trying to force entry to the chambers within!"

"Oh, shut up," said Ron as he and Harry drew level with Neville.

"I've lost the passwords!" Neville told them miserably. "I made him tell me what passwords he was going to use this week, because he keeps changing them, and now I don't know what I've done with them!"

"Oddsbodikins," said Harry to Sir Cadogan, who looked extremely disappointed and reluctantly swung forward to let them into the common room. There was a sudden, excited murmur as every head turned

"Everyone!" Alicia shouted and Hermione shot her a look "Harry and I have something to say!" she climbed onto a table as she often did when giving announcements in the common room.

"Harry and I have new brooms!" there was a cheer

"And they're the brand new Firebolts!" Alicia shouted, holding her's up and the entire common room exploded, all asking questions. And the next moment, Harry and Alicia were surrounded by people exclaiming over the Firebolts.

"It's beautiful!"

"Where'd you get it, Harry?"

"Will you let me have a go?"

"Have you ridden it yet, Alicia?"

"Ravenclaw'll have no chance, they're all on Cleansweep Sevens!"

"Can I just _hold_ it, Harry?"

"When'd you get it, Alicia?"

After ten minutes or so, during which the Firebolts were both passed around and admired from every angle, the crowd dispersed and Harry and Ron had a clear view of Hermione, the only person who hadn't rushed over to them, bent over her work and carefully avoiding their eyes. Harry and Ron approached her table and at last, she looked up and Alicia slid int the seat next to her.

"We got them back," said Harry, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.

"See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" said Ron.

"Well — there _might_ have been!" said Hermione. "I mean, at least you know now that it's safe!"

"Yeah, I suppose so," said Harry. "I'd better put it upstairs —"

"I'll take it!" said Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his rat tonic."

"Take mine too!" Alicia gave it too him and Ron looked like he was holding more then seven hundred galleons.

He took the Firebolts and, holding them as if they were made of glass, carried them away up the boys' staircase first.

"Sorry I shouted at you." Alicia said

"No I'm sorry, you were right, I should've talked to you guys first." Hermione sighed looking at her. Alicia smiled

"Can I sit down, then?" Harry asked Hermione.

"I suppose so," said Hermione, moving a great stack of parchment off a chair.

Harry looked around at the cluttered table, at the long Arithmancy essay on which the ink was still glistening, at the even longer Muggle Studies essay ("Explain Why Muggles Need Electricity") and at the rune translation Hermione was now poring over.

"How are you getting through all this stuff?" Harry asked her.

"Oh, well — you know — working hard," said Hermione. Close-up, Alicia saw that she looked almost as tired as Lupin.

"Hermione what happened to our sleep schedule?" she demanded looking at the girls face.

"I need time." she sighed

"Times the one thing we do have." Alicia reminded her

"Alicia you haven't!" Hermione gasped

"Only if needed. I need to be alive to do the homework and if I was doing what you are I wouldn't be." Alicia said and Harry looked at them confused "Plus I have Quidditch atop of it all."

Hermione looked like she wanted to scold the girl some more but didn't as Harry broke it up.

"Why don't you just drop a couple of subjects?" Harry asked, watching her lifting books as she searched for her rune dictionary.

"I couldn't do that!" said Hermione, looking scandalised.

"No of course not." Alicia muttered

"Arithmancy looks terrible," said Harry, picking up a very complicated-looking number chart.

"Oh no, it's wonderful!" said Hermione earnestly. "It's my favourite subject! It's —"

But exactly what was wonderful about Arithmancy, Harry never found out. At that precise moment, a strangled yell echoed down the boys' staircase. The whole common room fell silent, staring, petrified, at the entrance. Then came hurried footsteps, growing louder and louder — and then Ron came leaping into view one firebolt in his hand and dragging with him a bedsheet.

"LOOK!" he bellowed, striding over to Hermione's table. "LOOK!" he yelled, shaking the sheets in her face.

"Ron, what — ?"

"SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!"

Hermione was leaning away from Ron, looking utterly bewildered. Alicia looked down at the sheet Ron was holding. There was something red on it. Something that looked horribly like —

"BLOOD!" Ron yelled into the stunned silence. "HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

"N — no," said Hermione in a trembling voice.

Ron threw something down onto Hermione's rune translation. Alicia, Hermione and Harry leaned forward. Lying on top of the weird, spiky shapes were several long, ginger cat hairs.

Alicia knew this was the beginning of something terrible and shared a worried look with Harry.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship. Each was so angry with the other that neither Alicia or Harry could see how they'd ever make up.

Ron was enraged that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks's attempts to eat Scabbers seriously, hadn't bothered to keep a close enough watch on him, and was still trying to pretend that Crookshanks was innocent by suggesting that Ron look for Scabbers under all the boys' beds. Hermione, meanwhile, maintained fiercely that Ron had no proof that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, that the ginger hairs might have been there since Christmas, and that Ron had been prejudiced against her cat ever since Crookshanks had landed on Ron's head in the Magical Menagerie.

Harry was sure that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, and when he tried to point out to Hermione that the evidence all pointed that way, she lost her temper with Harry too.

"Okay, side with Ron, I knew you would!" she said shrilly. "First the Firebolt, now Scabbers, everything's my fault, isn't it!" she then turned on Alicia "I bet you'll side with them too!"

"Nope, Crookshanks didn't just want to eat Scabbers, there was something weird about the way he acted around the rat and like I said, cat's have a sixth sense for these things."

"Oh so Scabber's deserved it?!" Ron demanded to her

"Harry and I are allowed to have our opinions, don't get angry at us for asking and then not telling you what you want to hear." Alicia said strongly.

Hermione, though she wouldn't tell him, felt terrible for Ron about Scabbers. Alicia spent time with her while the two did their homework. Alicia also accompanied her to Hagrid's, who was slowly approaching Buckbeak's hearing, they were building a strong case for the hippogriff and Alicia was both impressed and determined to help.

It was during one of these visits that Hermione informed Hagrid of what had been happening between the four, Hagrid was disappointed as to Alicia's actions but did agree with her belief that Hermione should have talked to them before acting. He was much more disappointed in the boys actions however.

Ron had taken the loss of his rat very hard indeed, but drowned some of it in his anger by snapping at Hermione by mentioning his deceased rat.

In a last-ditch attempt to cheer Ron up, Harry persuaded him to come along to the Gryffindor team's final practice before the Ravenclaw match, so that he could have a ride on the Firebolt after they'd finished. This did seem to take Ron's mind off Scabbers for a moment ("Great! Can I try and shoot a few goals on it?")

"Sure." Alicia had agreed to try and also cheer him up.

So they set off for the Quidditch field together.

Madam Hooch, who was still overseeing Gryffindor practices to keep an eye on Harry, was just as impressed with the Firebolts as everyone else had been. She took Harry's in her hands before takeoff and gave them the benefit of her professional opinion.

"Look at the balance on it! If the Nimbus series has a fault, it's a slight list to the tail end — you often find they develop a drag after a few years. They've updated the handle too, a bit slimmer than the Cleansweeps, reminds me of the old Silver Arrows — a pity they've stopped making them. I learned to fly on one, and a very fine old broom it was too…"

She continued in this vein for some time, until Wood said, "Er — Madam Hooch? Is it okay if Harry has the Firebolt back? We need to practice…"

"Oh — right — here you are, then, Potter," said Madam Hooch. "I'll sit over here with Weasley…"

She and Ron left the field to sit in the stadium, and the Gryffindor team gathered around Wood for his final instructions for tomorrow's match.

"Harry, I've just found out who Ravenclaw is playing as Seeker. It's Cho Chang. She's a fourth year, and she's pretty good… I really hoped she wouldn't be fit, she's had some problems with injuries…" Wood scowled his displeasure that Cho Chang had made a full recovery, then said, "On the other hand, she rides a Comet Two Sixty, which is going to look like a joke next to the Firebolt." He gave Harry's broom a look of fervent admiration.

"I have something to add." Alicia said

"What?" Harry asked

"Cho's really pretty. Don't let her get to you." Alicia shrugged, everyone looked surprise she'd said that before she was gone and in the air within a blink.

"Okay, everyone, let's go —"

It was better than Alicia'd ever dreamed and much better then her previous broom. The Firebolt turned with the lightest touch; it seemed to obey her thoughts rather than her grip; it sped across the field at such speed that the stadium turned into a green-and-grey blur; Harry turned his so sharply that Katie had screamed.

"Ready Harry?" Alicia said as she appeared next to him and bent over her broom, stopping just as suddenly as he had. Harry grinned.

"Fred! Call it!" Alicia shouted, her eyes ahead

"Go!"

Both were gone in a blur, creating their own wind current at the speed. Alicia spun around and even added in a loop-the-loop before over taking Harry who then over took her back.

In the end it was a tie.

Harry then he went into a perfectly controlled dive, brushing the grassy field with his toes before rising thirty, forty, fifty feet into the air again —

"Harry, I'm letting the Snitch out!" Wood called.

Harry turned and raced a Bludger toward the goal posts; he outstripped it easily, saw the Snitch dart out from behind Wood, and within ten seconds had caught it tightly in his hand.

The team cheered madly. Harry let the Snitch go again, gave it a minute's head start, then tore after it, weaving in and out of the others; he spotted it lurking near Katie Bell's knee, looped her easily, and caught it again.

He realised it as Alicia shot a goal and then she was gone and Harry stopped confused, having lost the snitch.

"Looking for this?" Alicia asked holding up the walnut sized ball from her hands as she stopped next to him. Harry looked at her grinning

"I'm gonna take it to the other side. See if you can get it." she said an Harry nodded. In the minute they were either end and Alicia held out her hand to the side and released the snitch.

Harry had it in two minutes.

"Alicia, let's play." Angelina called.

Katie and Angelina played against Alicia, but she intercepted the ball, knocked it from their hands and had shot ten goals in the space of five minutes, too fast for Wood to intercept. It was the best practice ever; the team, inspired by the presence of the Firebolt in their midst, performed their best moves faultlessly, and by the time they hit the ground again, Wood didn't have a single criticism to make, which, as George Weasley pointed out, was a first.

"I can't see what's going to stop us tomorrow!" said Wood. "Not unless — Harry, you've sorted out your dementor problem, haven't you?"

"Yeah," said Harry, though his face seemed worried.

"It's all under control." Alicia said stronger, noticing his expression.

"The dementors won't turn up again, Oliver. Dumbledore'd go ballistic," said Fred confidently.

"Well, let's hope not," said Wood. "Anyway — good work, everyone. Let's get back to the tower… turn in early —"

"I'm staying out for a bit; Ron wants a go on the Firebolt," Harry told Wood, and while the rest of the team headed off to the locker rooms, Harry and Alicia strode over to Ron, who vaulted the barrier to the stands and came to meet him. Madam Hooch had fallen asleep in her seat.

"Here you go," said Harry, handing Ron the Firebolt.

Ron, an expression of ecstasy on his face, mounted the broom and zoomed off into the gathering darkness while Harry walked around the edge of the field, watching him.

Alicia joined him and the two raced around and then Alicia gave Ron her broom and Harry went up with him instead.

Night had fallen before Madam Hooch awoke with a start, told Harry, Alicia and Ron off for not waking her, and insisted that they go back to the castle.

Harry shouldered the Firebolt and he and Ron walked out of the shadowy stadium, Ron carrying Alicia's with pride. He was discussing the Firebolt's superbly smooth action, its phenomenal acceleration, and its pinpoint turning. They were halfway toward the castle when Harry, glancing to his left, stopped dead  
"What's the matter?" said Ron and Alicia chorused.

She followed his gaze before spotting a pair of eyes. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance at thinking it was the Grim _again_.

Ron pulled out his wand and muttered, " _Lumos_!" A beam of light fell across the grass, hit the bottom of a tree, and illuminated its branches; there, crouching among the budding leaves, was Crookshanks.

"Get out of here!" Ron roared, and he stooped down and seized a stone lying on the grass, but before he could do anything else, Crookshanks had vanished with one swish of his long ginger tail.

"See?" Ron said furiously, chucking the stone down again. "She's still letting him wander about wherever he wants — probably washing down Scabbers with a couple of birds now…"

Alicia was eyeing the spot before they continued to walk… confused. The cat, for a cat, acted rather odd…

Alicia went down to breakfast the next morning with Harry and the boys from his dormitory, the two Firebolts over their shoulders proudly. The three other boys seemed to think the Firebolts deserved some sort of guard of honour. As the twins entered the Great Hall, heads turned in the direction of the Firebolts, and there was a good deal of excited muttering. Harry saw, with enormous satisfaction, that the Slytherin team were all looking thunderstruck.

"Did you see his face?" said Ron gleefully, looking back at Malfoy. "He can't believe it! This is brilliant!"

Wood, too, was basking in the reflected glory of the Firebolts.

"Put them here, Harry, Alicia," he said, laying the brooms in the middle of the table, one after the other, and carefully turning them so that its name faced upward. People from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were soon coming over to look. Cedric Diggory came over to congratulate Harry on having acquired such a superb replacement for his Nimbus, and Percy's Ravenclaw girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater, asked if she could actually hold one of them.

"Now, now, Penny, no sabotage!" said Percy heartily as she examined the Firebolt closely "Penelope and I have got a bet on," he told the team. "Ten Galleons on the outcome of the match!"

Penelope put the Firebolt down again, thanked Harry, and went back to her table.

"Harry — make sure you win," said Percy, in an urgent whisper. " _I haven_ _'_ _t got ten Galleons._ Yes, I'm coming, Penny!" And he bustled off to join her in a piece of toast.

"Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?" said a cold, drawling voice.

Draco Malfoy had arrived for a closer look, Crabbe and Goyle right behind him.

"Yeah, reckon so," said Harry casually.

"Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" said Malfoy, eyes glittering maliciously. "Shame it doesn't come with a parachute — in case you get too near a dementor."

Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.

Harry spoke before Alicia could come up with a come back.

"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy," said Harry. "Then it could catch the Snitch for you."

The Gryffindor team laughed loudly. Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed, and he stalked away. They watched him rejoin the rest of the Slytherin team, who put their heads together, no doubt asking Malfoy whether Harry or Alicia's broom really was a Firebolt.

At a quarter to eleven, the Gryffindor team set off for the locker rooms. The weather couldn't have been more different from their match against Hufflepuff. It was a clear, cool day with a very light breeze; there would be no visibility problems this time, and Alicia was starting to feel the excitement only a Quidditch match could bring. They could hear the rest of the school moving into the stadium beyond. Alicia changed into her Quidditch robes and strapped her wand in a pocket in her shirt under the quidditch gear.

"You know what we've got to do," said Wood as they prepared to leave the locker rooms. "If we lose this match, we're out of the running. Just — just fly like you did in practice yesterday, and we'll be okay!"

"Yeah. Let's have some fun." Alicia grinned.

They walked out onto the field to tumultuous applause. The Ravenclaw team, dressed in blue, were already standing in the middle of the field. Their Seeker, Cho Chang, was the only girl on their team. She was shorter than Harry by about a head, and Alicia noticed as Harry's eyes hit her, and didn't move.

"Oh brother." she muttered as Cho smiled at Harry as the teams faced each other behind their captains.

"Wood, Davies, shake hands," Madam Hooch said briskly, and Wood shook hands with the Ravenclaw Captain.

"Mount your brooms… on my whistle… three — two — one —"

Alicia and Harry kicked off into the air and the Firebolts zoomed higher and faster than any other broom; Harry soared around the stadium and began squinting around for the Snitch while Alicia went straight for the Quaffle, getting it before anyone else.

"They're off, and the big excitement this match is the Firebolt that Harry Potter and Alicia Evans are flying for Gryffindor. According to _Which Broomstick,_ the Firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship —"

Lee Jordan, friend of the Weasley twins was as usual commentating.

"Jordan, would you mind telling us what's going on in the match?" interrupted Professor McGonagall's voice.

"Right you are, Professor — just giving a bit of background information — the Firebolt, incidentally, has a built-in auto-brake and —"

"Jordan!"

"Okay, okay, Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Evans of Gryffindor heading for goal…" Alicia grinned as the Ravenclaw keeper looked a tad worried before she turned sharply and threw the Quaffle through the hoop casually.

A cheer roared and Alicia held her hand up as Harry zoomed past her. He high-fifed it grinning.

Alicia noticed right after that Cho Chang was tailing Harry closely. She was undoubtedly a very good flier — she kept cutting across him, forcing him to change direction.

"Show her your acceleration, Harry!" Fred yelled as he whooshed past in pursuit of a Bludger that was aiming for Alicia. She ducked as Fred swung and Alicia was handed the Quaffle, which she again put away easily. The Gryffindor end of the field went wild.

Alicia turned grinning in time to see Harry dive for the ground. Cho saw what he was doing and tore after him —

Harry was speeding up, dives were his speciality. He was ten feet away —

Then a Bludger, hit by one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, came pelting out of nowhere; Harry veered off course, avoiding it by an inch, and in those few, crucial seconds, the Snitch had vanished.

There was a great "Ooooooh" of disappointment from the Gryffindor supporters, but much applause for their Beater from the Ravenclaw end. George Weasley vented his feelings by hitting the second Bludger directly at the offending Beater, who was forced to roll right over in midair to avoid it.

"Gryffindor leads by eighty points to zero, and look at that Firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through its paces now, see it turn — Chang's Comet is just no match for it, the Firebolt's precision-balance is really noticeable in these long —"

"JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"

Alicia was laughing as she flew toward the Ravenclaw with the Quaffle, he threw it to a neighbouring chaser in worry but Alicia intercepted it, headed for the goal and pocketed that in the goal hoop also.

As she did she noticed the speck of gold by the goal post. She turned for Harry but he'd already seen it.

Harry accelerated, eyes fixed on the speck of gold ahead — but just then, Cho appeared out of thin air, blocking him —

"HARRY, THIS IS NO TIME TO BE A GENTLEMAN!" Wood roared as Harry swerved to avoid a collision. "KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!"

"Told you." Alicia said as she flew past him with the Quaffle. Harry shot her a look before he turned the Firebolt upwards.

Alicia shot another goal and she turned but stopped. Three dementors, three tall, black, hooded dementors, were looking up at Harry.

Only… they looked a little… strange.

Alicia looked at them for a minute longer before Harry suddenly acted, obviously not thinking. He whipped out his wand and roared, " _Expecto patronum_!"

Something silver-white, something enormous, erupted from the end of his wand. He knew it had shot directly at the dementors but didn't pause to watch.

Alicia started howling with laughter as she saw why the dementor looked weird. Harry stretched out the hand still grasping his wand and just managed to close his fingers over the small, struggling Snitch.

Madam Hooch's whistle sounded. Alicia was across the field and had Harry in her arms as he turned around. Both of them turned to look as five other scarlet blurs bearing down on him; next moment, the whole team was hugging him so hard he was nearly pulled off his broom. Down below he could hear the roars of the Gryffindors in the crowd.

"That's my boy!" Wood kept yelling. Angelina, and Katie had both kissed Harry; Fred had him in a grip so tight Harry felt as though his head would come off. In complete disarray, the team managed to make its way back to the ground. Harry got off his broom, Alicia hugged him again and they looked to see a gaggle of Gryffindor supporters sprinting onto the field, Ron in the lead. Before they knew it, Harry was being engulfed and Alicia was surrounded having been next to him.

"Yes!" Ron yelled, yanking Harry's arm into the air. "Yes! Yes!"

"Well _done,_ Harry!" said Percy, looking delighted. "Ten Galleons to me! Must find Penelope, excuse me —"

"Good for you, Harry!" roared Seamus Finnigan.

"Ruddy brilliant!" boomed Hagrid over the heads of the milling Gryffindors.

"That was quite some Patronus," said a voice in Harry's ear. Alicia and Harry both turned to see who looked both shaken and pleased.

"The dementors didn't affect me at all!" Harry said excitedly. "I didn't feel a thing!"

Alicia was laughing her head of and Harry looked confused

"That would be because they — er — weren't dementors," said Professor Lupin. "Come and see —"

He led Harry out of the crowd with Alicia in tow until they were able to see the edge of the field.

"You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright," said Lupin.

Harry stared. Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground were Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team Captain, all struggling to remove themselves from long, black, hooded robes. It looked as though Malfoy had been standing on Goyle's shoulders. Standing over them, with an expression of the utmost fury on her face, was Professor McGonagall.

"An unworthy trick!" she was shouting. "A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!"

If anything could have set the seal on Gryffindor's victory, it was this. Ron, who had fought his way through to Harry's side, doubled up with laughter just like Alicia as they watched Malfoy fighting to extricate himself from the robe, Goyle's head still stuck inside it.

"Come on, Harry!" said George, fighting his way over. "Party! Gryffindor common room, now!"

"Right," said Harry and he, Alicia and the rest of the team led the way, still in their scarlet robes, out of the stadium and back up to the castle.

It felt as though they had already won the Quidditch Cup; the party went on all day and well into the night. Fred and George Weasley disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of bottles of butterbeer, pumpkin fizz, and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets.

"How did you do that?" squealed Angelina Johnson as George started throwing Peppermint Toads into the crowd.

"With a little help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," Fred muttered in Harry's ear.

Alicia chuckled.

Only one person wasn't joining in the festivities. Hermione, incredibly, was sitting in a corner, attempting to read an enormous book entitled _Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles._ Harry broke away from the table where Fred and George had started juggling butterbeer bottles and went over to her.

"Did you even come to the match?" he asked her.

"Of course I did," said Hermione in a strangely high-pitched voice, not looking up. "And I'm very glad we won, and I think you did really well, but I need to read this by Monday."

"Come on, Hermione, come and have some food," Harry said, looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet.

"I've managed to have some fun." Alicia said appearing with a grin.

"You're cheating."

"How can I not cheat? It's there to help us with our classes, technically that's what I'm using it for." Alicia shrugged

"Come on Hermione." Harry said again

"I can't, Harry. I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!" said Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical. "Anyway…" She glanced over at Ron too. " _He_ doesn't want me to join in."

There was no arguing with this, as Ron chose that moment to say loudly, "If Scabbers hadn't just been _eaten,_ he could have had some of those Fudge Flies. He used to really like them —"

Hermione burst into tears. Before either Alicia or Harry could say or do anything, she tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, ran toward the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight.

"Can't you give her a break?" Harry asked Ron quietly.

"No," said Ron flatly. "If she just acted like she was sorry — but she'll never admit she's wrong, Hermione. She's still acting like Scabbers has gone on vacation or something."

"You're the one who doesn't understand! You think she wanted Crookshanks to eat Scabbers! You wouldn't believe your pet could do wrong either if you cared about them enough." Alicia hissed at him before she turned and left the two.

The Gryffindor party ended only when Professor McGonagall turned up in her tartan dressing gown and hair net at one in the morning, to insist that they all go to bed.

Alicia returned to the girls dormitories to see Hermione asleep, her face dried but the red tear stained marks still there. She had her book tucked under her arm.

Alicia sighed and changed, getting into bed, but it wasn't a few hours before she was woken up by something. Screaming.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Alicia sat bolt up right as a light turned on and the girls looked around frightened. Alicia threw opened the dormitory door and was almost to the Boys dormitories, it just in sight, when she saw someone running to the common room. She followed them down the staircase and stopped at the bottom of the stairs in shock. They were someone she'd never mistake now. His waxy hard eyes seemed to bore into her as she met his gaze for a fraction of a minute.

Alicia stood there, her mouth open with the common room before her as voices started behind her and she watched him run out of the porthole and vanish into the castle.

Suddenly, Harry was behind her.

"Alicia!" he cried, sounding worried

"Black…" she muttered "He just… ran out the port hole." she muttered

"See! It was him!" Ron cried

Doors opened behind them, and sleepy voices called after them.

"Who shouted?"

"What're you doing?"

The common room was lit with the glow of the dying fire, still littered with the debris from the party. It was deserted.

"What's all the noise?"

"Professor McGonagall told us to go to bed!"

A few of the girls had come down their staircase, pulling on dressing gowns and yawning. Boys, too, were reappearing.

"Excellent, are we carrying on?" said Fred Weasley brightly.

"Percy!" Alicia shouted at the top of her voice, not caring about waking anyone, a few looked at her confused.

"Everyone back upstairs!" said Percy, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pyjamas as he spoke.

"Perce — Sirius Black!" said Ron faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

The common room went very still.

"Nonsense!" said Percy, looking startled. "You had too much to eat, Ron — had a nightmare —"

"I'm telling you —"

"Now, really, enough's enough!"

Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around.

"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorise this, Professor!" said Percy, puffing himself up indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare —"

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"

Professor McGonagall stared at him.

"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley,"

"He was here." Alicia spoke up and everyone turned to her "I just saw him run from common room. Waxy face, tangled hair, ripped clothing." her eyes were hard.

"How could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?" McGonagall asked

"Ask him!" said Ron, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask him if he saw —"

Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room listened with bated breath.

"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"

"Certainly, good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan.

There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside the common room.

"You — you _did_?" said Professor McGonagall. "But — but the password!"

"He had 'em!" said Sir Cadogan proudly. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"

Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the stunned crowd. She was white as chalk.

"Which person," she said, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"

There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy-slippered toes, raised his hand slowly into the air.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night. They knew that the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught. Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them that he had again escaped.

Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognise a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes. Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs.

Alicia and Harry couldn't help noticing that the statue of the one-eyed witch on the third floor remained unguarded and unblocked. It seemed that Fred and George had been right in thinking that they — and now Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione — were the only ones who knew about the hidden passageway within it.

"D'you reckon we should tell someone?" Harry asked Ron.

"We know he's not coming in through Honeyduke's," said Ron dismissively "We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into."

Ron had become an instant celebrity. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to Harry, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. A few people had asked Alicia what she'd seen also, but all she had was him running. She didn't tell anyone the expression she'd seen on his face. It wasn't terror, or anger as she'd expected, more irritation. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, Ron was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail.

"… I was asleep, and I heard this ripping noise, and I thought it was in my dream, you know? But then there was this draft… I woke up and one side of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down… I rolled over… and I saw him standing over me… like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair… holding this great long knife, must've been twelve inches… and he looked at me, and I looked at him, and then I yelled, and he _scampered._

"Why, though?" Ron added to Harry and Alicia as the group of second-year girls who had been listening to his chilling tale departed. "Why did he run?"

Alicia had been wondering the same thing. Not only that, why had Black, having got the wrong bed, not silenced Ron and proceeded to Harry? Black had proved twelve years ago that he didn't mind murdering innocent people, and this time he had been facing five unarmed boys, four of whom were asleep.

And the look of more irritation than frustration, than any anger for revenge on his face… and how could he have gotten the wrong bed? Just move the curtain and check before going in.

"He must've known he'd have a job getting back out of the castle once you'd yelled and woken people up," said Harry thoughtfully. "He'd've had to kill the whole House to get back through the portrait hole… then he would've met the teachers…"

Neville was in total disgrace. Professor McGonagall was so furious with him she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower. Poor Neville was forced to wait outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in, while the security trolls leered unpleasantly at him. None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grand-mother had in store for him. Two days after Black's break-in, she sent Neville the very worst thing a Hogwarts student could receive over breakfast — a Howler.

The school owls swooped into the Great Hall carrying the mail as usual, and Neville choked as a huge barn owl landed in front of him, a scarlet envelope clutched in its beak. Harry, Alicia and Ron, who were sitting opposite him, recognised the letter as a Howler at once — Ron had got one from his mother the year before.

"Run for it, Neville," Ron advised.

Neville didn't need telling twice. He seized the envelope, and holding it before him like a bomb, sprinted out of the hall, while the Slytherin table exploded with laughter at the sight of him. They heard the Howler go off in the entrance hall — Neville's grand-mother's voice, magically magnified to a hundred times its usual volume, shrieking about how he had brought shame on the whole family.

Harry was too busy feeling sorry for Neville to notice immediately that he had a letter too. Hedwig got his attention by nipping him sharply on the wrist.

"Ouch! Oh — thanks, Hedwig."

Harry tore open the envelope while Hedwig helped herself to some of Neville's cornflakes. The note inside said:

 _Dear Harry and Ron,  
_

 _How about having tea with me this afternoon 'round six? I'll come and collect you from the castle.  
_

 _WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL;  
_

 _YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN.  
_

 _Cheers,  
_

 _Hagrid_

"He probably wants to hear all about Black!" said Ron.

"That's probably only half what she wants." Alicia frowned.

So at six o'clock that afternoon, Harry and Ron, accompanied by Alicia left Gryffindor Tower, passed the security trolls at a run, and headed down to the entrance hall.

Hagrid was already waiting for them.

"All right, Hagrid!" said Ron. "S'pose you want to hear about Saturday night, do you?"

"I've already heard all abou' it," said Hagrid, opening the front doors and leading them outside.

"Oh," said Ron, looking slightly put out.

The first thing they saw on entering Hagrid's cabin was Buckbeak, who was stretched out on top of Hagrid's patchwork quilt, his enormous wings folded tight to his body, enjoying a large plate of dead ferrets. Alicia went to pat the animal as she always did when visiting before she noticed a gigantic, hairy brown suit and a very horrible yellow-and-orange tie hanging from the top of Hagrid's wardrobe door.

"What are they for, Hagrid?" said Harry.

"Buckbeak's case against the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures," said Hagrid. "This Friday. Him an' me'll be goin' down ter London together. I've booked two beds on the Knight Bus…"

Alicia saw both the boys expressions and knew immediately they'd forgotten about their promise about helping him prepare Buckbeak's defence; the arrival of the Firebolt had driven it clean out of their minds.

Hagrid poured them tea and offered them a plate of Bath buns, but they knew better than to accept; they had had too much experience with Hagrid's cooking.

"I got somethin' ter discuss with you two," said Hagrid, sitting himself between them and looking uncharacteristically serious.

"What?" said Harry. He glanced at Alicia who averted her gaze guilty.

"Hermione," said Hagrid.

"What about her?" said Ron.

"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat —"

"— ate Scabbers!" Ron interjected angrily.

"Because her cat acted like all cats do," Hagrid continued doggedly. "She's cried a fair few times, yeh know, Alicia and I've tried to help her." Both boys turned to her but Alicia continued to study Buckbeak "Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind… She's found some really good stuff fer me; reckon he'll stand a good chance now…"

"Hagrid, we should've helped as well — sorry —" Harry began awkwardly.

"I'm not blamin' yeh!" said Hagrid, waving Harry's apology aside. "Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be gettin' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night — but I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all."

"Alicia was angry…" Ron said

"I apologised." Alicia said "You're really going to play the 'but she' card?" she said annoyed.

Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.

"Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you two not talkin' to her —"

"If she'd just get rid of that cat, I'd speak to her again!" Ron said angrily. "But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!"

"Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets," said Hagrid wisely. Behind him, Buckbeak spat a few ferret bones onto Hagrid's pillow.

They spent the rest of their visit discussing Gryffindor's improved chances for the Quidditch Cup. At nine o'clock, Hagrid walked them back up to the castle.

A large group of people was bunched around the bulletin board when they returned to the common room.

"Hogsmeade, next weekend!" said Ron, craning over the heads to read the new notice. "What d'you reckon?" he added quietly to Harry and Alicia as they went to sit down. Alicia just rolled her eyes, but Harry considered it.

"Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage into Honeydukes…" Harry said, even more quietly.

"Harry!" said a voice in his right ear. Harry started and looked around at Hermione, who was sitting at the table right behind them and clearing a space in the wall of books that had been hiding her.

"Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again… I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!" said Hermione. Alicia looked at the boys, an eyebrow raised. After what happened with Black, she was sure Hermione was right…

"Can you hear someone talking, Harry?" growled Ron, not looking at Hermione. Alicia glared at Ron.

"Ron, how can you let him go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to _you_! I mean it, I'll tell —"

"So now you're trying to get Harry expelled!" said Ron furiously. "Haven't you done enough damage this year?"

Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leapt onto her lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and hurried away toward the girls' dormitories.

Alicia stood up.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked

"Way from you." she said, there was so much venom in her voice that even Harry winced and leaned away.

Alicia turned and went up to the dormitories.

"I can't believe him." she demanded as she closed the door and Hermione looked up. "I mean, yeah, I really want to go to Hogsmeade too, but to act so casually about it!" she said and slumped onto her bed.

"I swear, Ron doesn't care if Harry get's hurt and to say that after Hagrid's visit!" Hermione looked away "They both looked guilty and I was sure he'd make it up with you." Alicia growled as she looked him.

"All for a suspicious rat."

"Suspicious?" Hermione asked. Alicia looked at her and noticed the confused look.

"Yeah… something's off with that rat and that's why Crookshanks is after it." Alicia shrugged "Don't ask me why I think that, my mind just does."

"Well I suggest we listen, you're mind's good at piecing information together." Hermione smiled

"Well, usually it's too late." she sighed

"That's cause you're always missing one important piece of information." Hermione shrugged.

"You're not gong to let Harry go are you?" Hermione asked biting her lip

"I probably shouldn't… but there's not much I can do, he won't listened to me either." she rolled her eyes. "What are you going to do?" Hermione sighed

"I don't know." she muttered "You?"

"Catch up on some needed homework." Alicia muttered, to which Hermione smiled

"Are you seriously cheating?" she asked

"Only in those rare moments where I don't have a choice. And every now and then on quidditch nights. I go to the library." Alicia shrugged.

Hermione sighed and shook her head before she lied down on her bed. Alicia changed and got into her own.

"I hope you know, Ron can't stay angry at you forever." Alicia muttered. Hermione didn't answer but Alicia didn't expect her too.

* * *

On Saturday Morning Alicia went with Hermione down to the Great Hall for breakfast, Hermione was shooting Harry suspicious looks while Alicia just ignored them. Harry hadn't offered for Alicia to go with him but after what she'd said to Ron, she didn't expect him to.

When Hermione and Ron were leaving, Harry moved to the Marble Staircase as everyone else moved to the Entrance Hall..

" 'Bye!" Harry called to Ron. "See you when you get back!"

Ron grinned and winked.

"You're an idiot." Alicia muttered as she walked past.

"I'll be fine."

"You expect me to cover for you?" Alicia asked, Harry looked worried as she just moved off to the Gryffindor Tower. Not to her surprise Harry didn't follow.

Neville however did turn up.

"Alicia!"

"Hey Neville." Alicia said without looking up.

"That's right, you and Harry are here." Alicia gave him a glance. "Snape just caught us on the third floor." Neville shivered

"What happened?"

"We came here, Harry gave me the password and then left, said he left his vampire essay in the library." Alicia scoffed "By the way, can you help me with mine?"

"Sure."

And she sent him words of wisdom while she did her Arthimancy homework.

The two went down for lunch in the great hall and Alicia wasn't at all surprised that Harry was missing. Neville questioned it but Alicia just shrugged.

It wasn't until she was on her way back that she saw Harry following Snape.

"Hey Neville, I'll be right back. Go finish your essay and I'll read it when I get there." she said. Neville nodded and left her.

Alicia turned to follow Harry and Snape, they went to Snape's office.

"Sit," said Snape. "Mr. Malfoy has just been to see me with a strange story, Potter," said Snape.

Alicia leaned on the door listening cautiously.

Harry didn't say anything.

"He tells me that he was up by the Shrieking Shack when he ran into Weasley — apparently alone."

Still, Harry didn't speak.

"Mr. Malfoy states that he was standing talking to Weasley, when a large amount of mud hit him in the back of the head. How do you think that could have happened?"

"I don't know, Professor."

"Mr. Malfoy then saw an extraordinary apparition. Can you imagine what it might have been, Potter?"

"No," said Harry, now trying to sound innocently curious.

"It was your head, Potter. Floating in midair." Alicia rolled her eyes. Of course it was.

There was a long silence.

"Maybe he'd better go to Madam Pomfrey," said Harry. "If he's seeing things like —"

"What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?" said Snape softly. "Your head is not allowed in Hogsmeade. No part of your body has permission to be in Hogsmeade."

"I know that," said Harry. "It sounds like Malfoy's having hallucin —"

"Malfoy is not having hallucinations," snarled Snape "If your head was in Hogsmeade, so was the rest of you."

"I've been up in Gryffindor Tower," said Harry. "Like you told —"

"Can anyone confirm that?"

Alicia sighed in aggravation and pushed the door open.

"I can." she said. Snape was looking at her surprised

"Oh?" he said, looking annoyed at her appearance.

"We were doing our homework." Alicia lied. She'd have to speak to Neville later, though Neville would probably just break under the pressure anyway.

"What homework?"

"Defence against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin set us something much more beneficial then a _werewolf essay._ " Alicia said her eyes harden slightly

"A likely story Miss Evans, can anyone prove _you_ were in the common room?"

"Yes. All the first and second years and Neville." she said. Now she was in trouble if Snape asked.

Snape however didn't seem to believe her as she stood next to Harry's chair.

"I'm not surprised you'd cover for him, how convenient." his eyes moved between the two twins. "Everyone from the Minister of Magic downward has been trying to keep famous Harry Potter safe from Sirius Black. But famous Harry Potter is a law unto himself. Let the ordinary people worry about his safety! Famous Harry Potter goes where he wants to, with no thought for the consequences."

"How extraordinarily like your father you are, Potter," Snape said suddenly, his eyes glinting. "He too was exceedingly arrogant. A small amount of talent on the Quidditch field made him think he was a cut above the rest of us too. Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers… The resemblance between you is uncanny."

"Just like me and my mother." Alicia said and Snape looked at her, his expression was unrecognisable but Alicia knew she'd hit some nerve.

"My dad didn't _strut,_ " said Harry, before he could stop himself. "And neither do I."

"Your father didn't set much store by rules either," Snape went on, pressing his advantage, his thin face full of malice. "Rules were for lesser mortals, not Quidditch Cup-winners. His head was so swollen —"

"SHUT UP!"

Harry was suddenly on his feet. He seemed to rage filled that he didn't care that Snape's face had gone rigid, the black eyes flashing dangerously.

" _What did you say to me, Potter?_ "

"I told you to shut up about my dad!" Harry yelled.

"Harry may not have known him but everyone's protective of the ones they love, perhaps you know that. Whether you knew him or not, you don't have the right to say something like that to Harry." Alicia said angrily through her teeth, her eyes on Snape who didn't even look at her.

"I know the truth, all right? He saved your life! Dumbledore told me! You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for my dad!"

Snape's sallow skin had gone the colour of sour milk.

"And did the headmaster tell you the circumstances in which your father saved my life?" he whispered. "Or did he consider the details too unpleasant for precious Potter's delicate ears?"

Harry didn't say anything and bit his lip. Alicia's eyes stayed hard.

"I would hate for you to run away with a false idea of your father, Potter," Snape said, a terrible grin twisting his face. "Have you been imagining some act of glorious heroism? Then let me correct you — your saintly father and his friends played a highly amusing joke on me that would have resulted in my death if your father hadn't got cold feet at the last moment. There was nothing brave about what he did. He was saving his own skin as much as mine. Had their joke succeeded, he would have been expelled from Hogwarts."

Snape's uneven, yellowish teeth were bared.

"That doesn't give you the right to hate Harry for something he had no part of. Or ignore me like I don't exist." Alicia hissed.

Snape ignored her much to her surprise. Not.

"Turn out your pockets, Potter!" he spat suddenly.

Harry didn't move.

"Turn out your pockets, or we go straight to the headmaster! Pull them out, Potter!"

Cold with dread, Harry slowly pulled out the bag of Zonko's tricks and the Marauder's Map.

Snap picked up the Zonko's bag.

"Ron gave them to me," said Harry "He — brought them back from Hogsmeade last time —"

"Bought us a heap of lollies too." Alicia added causally.

"Indeed? And you've been carrying them around ever since? How very touching…"

"We had them in the common room, playing around before lunch, Harry must have put them in his pocket." Alicia turned to Harry as if asking and he nodded.

"And what is this?"

Snape had picked up what Alicia immediately knew was the Marauders map.

"Spare bit of parchment," he said with a shrug.

Snape turned it over, his eyes on Harry.

"Surely you don't need such a very _old_ piece of parchment?" he said. "Why don't I just — throw this away?"

His hand moved toward the fire.

"No!" Harry said quickly. Alicia sighed.

"So!" said Snape, his long nostrils quivering. "Is this another treasured gift from Mr. Weasley? Or is it — something else? A letter, perhaps, written in invisible ink? Or — instructions to get into Hogsmeade without passing the dementors?"

Harry blinked as Alicia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Snape's eyes gleamed.

"Let me see, let me see…" he muttered, taking out his wand and smoothing the map out on his desk. "Reveal your secret!" he said, touching the wand to the parchment.

Nothing happened. Harry clenched his hands to stop them from shaking.

"Show yourself!" Snape said, tapping the map sharply.

It stayed blank. Harry was taking deep, calming breaths while Alicia waited, her eyes between Snape's wand and the parchment, curious if anything would happened.

"Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!" Snape said, hitting the map with his wand.

As though an invisible hand were writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface of the map.

 _"Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business."_

Snape froze. Harry stared, dumbstruck, at the message while Alicia raised an amused eyebrow. The map didn't stop there. More writing was appearing beneath the first.

 _"Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git."_

It would have been very funny if the situation hadn't been so serious. And there was more…

 _"Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor."_

Harry closed his eyes in horror. Alicia watched with expectation.

 _"Mr. Wormtail bids, Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball."_

Harry waited for the blow to fall.

"So…" said Snape softly. "We'll see about this…"

He strode across to his fire, seized a fistful of glittering powder from a jar on the fireplace, and threw it into the flames.

"Lupin!" Snape called into the fire. "I want a word!"

Alicia and Harry stared at the fire. A large shape had appeared in it, revolving very fast. Seconds later, Professor Lupin was clambering out of the fireplace, brushing ash off his shabby robes.

"You called, Severus?" said Lupin mildly.

"I certainly did," said Snape, his face contorted with fury as he strode back to his desk. "I have just asked Potter to empty his pockets. He was carrying this."

Snape pointed at the parchment, on which the words of Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were still shining. An odd, closed expression appeared on Lupin's face.

Alicia's eyes narrowed slightly as she'd noticed the recognition anywhere.

"Well?" said Snape.

Lupin continued to stare at the map. Alicia had the impression that Lupin was doing some very quick thinking.

" _Well_?" said Snape again. "This parchment is plainly full of Dark Magic. This is supposed to be your area of expertise, Lupin. Where do you imagine Potter got such a thing?"

Lupin looked up and, by the merest half-glance in the twins direction, warned them not to interrupt.

"Full of Dark Magic?" he repeated mildly. "Do you really think so, Severus? It looks to me as though it is merely a piece of parchment that insults anybody who reads it. Childish, but surely not dangerous? I imagine Harry got it from a joke shop —"

"Indeed?" said Snape. His jaw had gone rigid with anger. "You think a joke shop could supply him with such a thing? You don't think it more likely that he got it _directly from the manufacturers_?"

Alicia looked at them both, noticing Snape's specific tone. She wasn't sure if he was faking it or not, but Lupin seemed not to understand.

"You mean, by Mr. Wormtail or one of these people?" he said. "Harry, do you know any of these men?"

"No," said Harry quickly.

"Alicia?"

"Not at all." she said much calmer. It was the truth.

"You see, Severus?" said Lupin, turning back to Snape. "It looks like a Zonko product to me —"

Right on cue, Ron came bursting into the office. He was completely out of breath, and stopped just short of Snape's desk, clutching the stitch in his chest and trying to speak.

"I — gave — Harry — that — stuff," he choked. "Bought — it… in Zonko's… ages — ago…"

"Well!" said Lupin, clapping his hands together and looking around cheerfully. "That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back, shall I?" He folded the map and tucked it inside his robes. "Harry, Alicia, Ron, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay — excuse us, Severus —"

Alicia knew they were in trouble. She, Harry, Ron, and Lupin walked all the way back into the entrance hall before speaking. Then Harry turned to Lupin.

"Professor, I —"

"I don't want to hear explanations," said Lupin shortly. He glanced around the empty entrance hall and lowered his voice. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map," he said as Harry and Ron looked amazed. "I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am, however, _astounded_ that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, Harry."

Alicia wasn't surprised by this and she sighed.

"Why did Snape think I'd got it from the manufacturers?"

"Because…" Lupin hesitated, "because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining."

"Do you _know_ them?" said Harry, impressed.

"We've met," he said shortly. He was looking at Harry more seriously than ever before. Alicia was looking suspicious… if he knew their intentions he'd done more then meet them. She wished she knew what the nicknames were for, Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs…

"Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Harry."

"I second that." Alicia muttered glancing at her brother.

"I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you have heard when the dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor way to repay them — gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks."

He walked away.

Alicia turned for the marble staircase. Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs…

She new Prongs were antlers. Padfoot was on a dog, wormtail… easy… and Mooney… reminded her of a moon.

Alicia suddenly had a thought… _no…_ a grin spread over her face but it stopped as she saw Hermione coming from the common room.

"Hermione…" Hermione looked terribly upset.

"Hagrid…" she breathed and Alicia understood, her face dampening seriously.

He'd lost.

"It's my fault," said Ron abruptly and Alicia turned to look as the boys came up behind them. "I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid, we shouldn't've done it —"

Hermione walked towards the two boys as Alicia stood frowning. Ron broke off.

"Come to have a good gloat?" said Ron savagely as she stopped in front of them. "Or have you just been to tell on us?"

"No," said Hermione. She was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling. "I just thought you ought to know… Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

"But you two are probably a little busy to listen?" Alicia said and looked at Ron. He looked guilty but Hermione pressed on.

"He — he sent me this," Hermione said, holding out the letter.  
Harry took it. The parchment was damp, and enormous teardrops had smudged the ink so badly in places that it was very difficult to read.

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts._

 _Execution date to be fixed._

 _Beaky has enjoyed London._

 _I wont forget all the help you gave us._

 _Hagrid._

"They can't do this," said Harry. "They can't. Buckbeak isn't dangerous."

"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," said Hermione, wiping her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope… Nothing will have changed."

"Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."

"Oh, Ron!"

Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. Ron, looking quite terrified, patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head causing Alicia to smirk. Finally, Hermione drew away.

"Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers…," she sobbed.

"Oh — well — he was old," said Ron, looking thoroughly relieved that she had let go of him. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now."

The safety measures imposed on the students since Black's second break-in made it impossible for Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione to go and visit Hagrid in the evenings. Their only chance of talking to him was during Care of Magical Creatures lessons.

He seemed numb with shock at the verdict.

"S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em…"

"There's still the appeal!" said Ron fiercely. "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!"

They were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead they could see Malfoy, who was walking with Crabbe and Goyle, and kept looking back, laughing derisively.

"S'no good, Ron," said Hagrid sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that…"

Hagrid turned around and hurried back toward his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief.

"Look at him blubber!"

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening.

"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Malfoy. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"

Harry and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first — SMACK!

She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered. Harry, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted while Alicia glared as Hermione raised her hand again.

"Don't you _dare_ call Hagrid pathetic, you foul — you evil —"

"Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.

"Get _off,_ Ron!"

Hermione pulled out her wand. Malfoy stepped backward. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered.

"C'mon," Malfoy muttered, and in a moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons.

"Well done." Alicia smiled "I would have punched him though." she shrugged

" _Hermione_!" Ron said again, sounding both stunned and impressed.

"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione said shrilly. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"

"We're due in Charms," said Ron, still goggling at Hermione. "We'd better go."

They hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Flitwick's classroom.

Alicia and Hermione however, didn't go to Charms. They headed for Arithmacy and then the common room for some study. Alicia got up to go to the library and find some resources before the period ended and she ducked into a classroom, pulling out her golden chain, the hour glass on it. She turned it before in no time she was running down the hall towards Charms classroom.

Alicia forgot all about being late with Harry and Ron and sat down at the right time, in a minute or two, the door opened and Harry and Ron stood there.

Alicia's eyes widened as she looked away.

"You're late, boys!" said Professor Flitwick reprovingly "Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs —"

Harry and Ron hurried to a desk and stopped, seeing Alicia already there. They slowly moved to sit on either side of her.

"How did you do that!?" Ron demanded

"Do what?"

"You were right behind us, then you're already here!?" he asked

"Don't know what you're talking about Ron. That's not possible." she rolled her eyes.

It didn't take her long however to realise the two boys came in alone.

"Where's Hermione gone?" Ron asked noticing too.

Harry looked around too. Hermione hadn't entered the classroom

"That's weird," said Harry, staring at Ron. "Maybe — maybe she went to the bathroom or something?"

Both boys glanced at Alicia but she just shrugged. If she didn't know Hermione she'd say the girl was still in the common room.

Hermione didn't turn up all lesson.

"She could've done with a Cheering Charm on her too," said Ron as the class left for lunch, all grinning broadly — the Cheering Charms had left them with a feeling of great contentment.

Hermione wasn't at lunch either. By the time they had finished their apple pie, the aftereffects of the Cheering Charms were wearing off, and Alicia, Harry and Ron had started to get slightly worried.

"You don't think Malfoy did something to her?" Ron said anxiously as they hurried upstairs toward Gryffindor Tower.

"Are you kidding, he's all words." Alicia rolled her eyes.

They passed the security trolls, gave the Fat Lady the password ("Flibbertigibbet"), and scrambled through the portrait hole into the common room.

Hermione was sitting at a table, fast asleep, her head resting on an open Arithmancy book.

Alicia gapped, she'd fallen asleep! Alicia moved over to her quickly and the boys went to sit down on either side of her. Harry prodded her awake.

"Wh — what?" said Hermione, waking with a start and staring wildly around. "Is it time to go? W — which lesson have we got now?

"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," said Harry. "Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?"

"What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"

"You fell asleep instead of go to charms." Alicia sighed "I shouldn't have left you."

"But how could you forget?" said Harry. "You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!"

"I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry? Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and I lost track of things!"

"You know what, Hermione?" said Ron, looking down at the enormous Arithmancy book Hermione had been using as a pillow. "I reckon you're cracking up. You're trying to do too much."

"No, I'm not!" said Hermione, brushing her hair out of her eyes and staring hopelessly around for her bag. "I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry… I'll see you in Divination!"

"I still think Divination's a waste of time." Alicia said as they made their way to the north tower. "When was it Trelawney said two people would leave? I'm getting sick of Hermione convincing me to stay."

The boys raised an eyebrow at her and shared a glance as they reached the top of the tower. Hermione joined them at the foot of the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom looking extremely harassed.

"I can't believe I missed Cheering Charms! And I bet they come up in our exams; Professor Flitwick hinted they might!"

"You'll be fine Hermione. I'll help you." Hermione grinned at her "If you don't mind cheating for some extra time." the girls face sank as Alicia shrugged.

Together they climbed the ladder into the dim, stifling tower room. Glowing on every little table was a crystal ball full of pearly white mist. Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione sat down together at the same rickety table.

"I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Ron muttered, casting a wary eye around for Professor Trelawney, in case she was lurking nearby.

"Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Harry muttered back. "I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at my hands."

"Yeah but now she's going to flinch at white mist." Alicia muttered.

"Good day to you!" said the familiar, misty voice, and Professor Trelawney made her usual dramatic entrance out of the shadows. Parvati and Lavender quivered with excitement, their faces lit by the milky glow of their crystal ball.

"I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned," said Professor Trelawney, sitting with her back to the fire and gazing around. "The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice."

Alicia and Hermione both snorted.

"Really?" Alicia asked, a few looked at her.

"Well, honestly… 'the fates have informed her'… who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" Hermione said, not troubling to keep her voice low. Harry and Ron choked back laughs.

It was hard to tell whether Professor Trelawney had heard them, as her face was hidden in shadow. She continued, however, as though she had not.

"Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art," she said dreamily. "I do not expect any of you to See when first you peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes" — Ron began to snigger uncontrollably and had to stuff his fist in his mouth to stifle the noise — "so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will See before the end of the class."

And so they began. They just stared at the white glowing ball, trying to keep their mind empty. Alicia found it difficult given the current circumstances. All the homework she had in the common room and every spell she knew, plus the Quidditch match on Saturday kept going through her mind. It didn't help that Ron kept breaking into silent giggles and Hermione kept tutting.

"Seen anything yet?" Harry asked them after a quarter of an hour's quiet crystal gazing.

"Yeah, there's a burn on this table," said Ron, pointing. "Someone's spilled their candle."

"That's much more interesting then this."

"This is such a waste of time," Hermione hissed. "I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms —"

Professor Trelawney rustled past.

"Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?" she murmured over the clinking of her bangles.

"I don't need help," Ron whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."

Alicia, Harry and Hermione burst out laughing.

"Now, really!" said Professor Trelawney as everyone's heads turned in their direction. Parvati and Lavender were looking scandalised. "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!" She approached their table and peered into their crystal ball.

"Clairvoyant vibrations?" Alicia demanded mockingly.

Trelawney didn't answer her as she stared into the ball.

"You know," Alicia said to Hermione "I bet I know exactly what she's going to see. My inner eye has foreseen it!" Alicia imitated Trelawney's misty voice.

"There is something here!" Professor Trelawney whispered, lowering her face to the ball, so that it was reflected twice in her huge glasses. "Something moving… but what is it?"

She turned to Harry with the same pitying, terrified look.

"My dear…" Professor Trelawney breathed, gazing up at Harry. "It is here, plainer than ever before… my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer… the Gr —"

"Oh bloody hell." Alicia complained, waving her arms at the same time Hermione said; "Oh, for _goodness_ ' sake!"

"Not that ridiculous Grim _again_!"

Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Alicia and Hermione, gazing into Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too. Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione with unmistakable anger.

"I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class, my _dear,_ it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane."

"Mundane!?" Alicia demanded standing up "Just because the 'inner eye' tells you what _you're_ going to put on the exam doesn't mean everyone else is _mundane_." Alicia snapped. She then turned to Hermione.

"Can we leave yet?!" Hermione's eyes were hard and on Trelawney.

There was a moment's silence. Then —

"Fine!" said Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming _Unfogging the Future_ back into her bag. Alicia, happy with this, grabbed her own copy and moved to the trap door. "Fine!" Hermione repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron off his chair. "I give up! I'm leaving!"

Alicia opened the trap door and disappeared down it as Hermione quickly followed, climbing down the ladder out of sight.

"So, Cheering practice?" Alicia asked as they walked down the steps. Hermione smiled. Ron and been right, she could definitely use it.

The Easter holidays were not exactly relaxing. The third years had never had so much homework. Neville Longbottom seemed close to a nervous collapse, and he wasn't the only one.

"Call this a holiday!" Seamus Finnigan roared at the common room one afternoon. "The exams are ages away, what're they playing at?"

But nobody had as much to do as Alicia and Hermione, Alicia was starting to feel Hermione's stresses. With everyone on holiday it was harder for her to 'cheat' as Hermione said and use the Time-Turner. She could only do the day maybe three times, once in the common room, once in the library and another in possibly an empty classroom. And each time she had to return to the common room later as to not run into herself. Even without Divination, she and Hermione were still taking more subjects than anybody else. Despite that, Hermione was the one who was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the library the next morning; she had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes, and seemed constantly close to tears.

Ron had taken over responsibility for Buckbeak's appeal. When he wasn't doing his own work, he was poring over enormously thick volumes with names like _The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology_ and _Fowl or Foul_? _A Study of Hippogriff Brutality._ He was so absorbed, he even forgot to be horrible to Crookshanks.

Of course on top of her homework, Alicia had to fit in Quidditch practice every day. Another use for the Time-Turner, though Harry had it a little worse as Wood discussed endless tactics with him. The Gryffindor-Slytherin match would take place on the first Saturday after the Easter holidays. Slytherin was leading the tournament by exactly two hundred points. This meant (as Wood constantly reminded his team) that they needed to win the match by more than that amount to win the Cup. It also meant that the burden of winning fell largely on Harry, because capturing the Snitch was worth one hundred and fifty points.

"So you must catch it _only_ if we're _more than_ fifty points up," Wood told Harry constantly. "Only if we're more than fifty points up, Harry, or we win the match but lose the Cup. You've got that, haven't you? You must catch the Snitch only if we're —"

"I KNOW, OLIVER!" Harry yelled.

Then of course Oliver turned to Alicia, his fastest Chaser, to use her speed and shoot as many goals as possible in a shot amount of time. Everyone had a feeling the game would turn out messier then usual, the Slytherin's loved to play nasty.

Alicia was all for knocking every one of them off their brooms.  
The whole of Gryffindor House was obsessed with the coming match. Gryffindor hadn't won the Quidditch Cup since the legendary Charlie Weasley (Ron's second oldest brother) had been Seeker. But with Malfoy still smarting about the mud-throwing incident in Hogsmeade with Harry and being even more furious that Harry had somehow wormed his way out of punishment, Harry wanted to win the match most to wipe the smug smile off his face. No one had forgotten Malfoy's attempt to sabotage Harry in the match against Ravenclaw, but it was the matter of Buckbeak that seemed to push Harry's determined to beat Malfoy in front of the entire school higher.

Never, in anyone's memory, had a match approached in such a highly charged atmosphere. By the time the holidays were over, tension between the two teams and their Houses was at the breaking point. A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors, culminating in a nasty incident in which a Gryffindor fourth year and a Slytherin sixth year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears. Alicia had hit several Slytherin's who had tried to wound her in some way with nasty charms that ended with the Slytherin's in hospital also.

Harry was having a particularly bad time of it. He couldn't walk to class without Slytherins sticking out their legs and trying to trip him up; Crabbe and Goyle kept popping up wherever he went, and slouching away looking disappointed when they saw him surrounded by people. Wood had given instructions that Harry should be accompanied everywhere he went, in case the Slytherins tried to put him out of action. Of course this wasn't a problem as Alicia was always with him anyway, but unfortunately for Harry, the whole of Gryffindor House took up the challenge enthusiastically, so that it was impossible for Harry to get to classes on time because he was surrounded by a vast, chattering crowd. Harry was more concerned for his Firebolt's safety than his own. When he wasn't flying it, he locked it securely in his trunk and frequently dashed back up to Gryffindor Tower at break times to check that it was still there. Alicia had locked her's in her trunk with a lockable spell that could only be open by a specific counter spell.

All usual pursuits were abandoned in the Gryffindor common room the night before the match. Even Hermione had put down her books.

"I can't work, I can't concentrate," she said nervously.

There was a great deal of noise. Fred and George Weasley were dealing with the pressure by being louder and more exuberant than ever. Oliver Wood was crouched over a model of a Quidditch field in the corner, prodding little figures across it with his wand and muttering to himself. Angelina and Katie were laughing at Fred's and George's jokes. Harry was sitting with Alicia, Ron and Hermione. Alicia was beginning to get nervous.

"You're going to be fine," Hermione told Harry, though she looked positively terrified.

"You've got a _Firebolt_!" said Ron.

"If I ran into someone with my Firebolt, who would receive the most damage?" Alicia wondered

"Why?"

"I feel like being a chaser, I'm going to get really bashed tomorrow. Come see me in the hospital wing?" she asked

"Oh don't be ridiculous." Hermione said, but her eyes had widened

"Hermione, you're terrible at hiding how you really feel. From me at least." Alicia admitted to which Hermione frowned.

"You're both going to be fine, even if you do go to the hospital wing Madam Pomfrey will fix you in no time." Ron assured and he looked at both Alicia and Harry, who shared a worried look.

"Yeah…" said Harry

It came as a relief when Wood suddenly stood up and yelled,

"Team! Bed!"

Alicia awoke early. Very early, the next morning. She tried to get back to sleep but failed, so instead she got dressed and went down to the common room. Hermione and Alicia had a permanent table in which they didn't clean. She sat down to do some homework, trying to get rid of the ever churning nerves and take her mind off the Quidditch game in a couple of hours.

If Alicia didn't help to score at least six goals, and keep the Slytherin's from scoring any, then Harry couldn't catch the snitch at the right time. Then, they'd either loose the match or it'd go forever.

Alicia dropped her quil annoyed and moved from the table, unable to concentrate on anything. She moved to the window and leaned on the sill, looking at the quite and still grounds.

But they weren't still. Alicia sighed as she saw the little ginger spot moving across the grounds. Crookshanks, still roaming around like he owned the place.

But then… Something moved in the shadows as Crookshanks came to a stop. And then, from the shadows, approaching the ginger cat, it emerged — a gigantic, shaggy black dog, moving stealthily across the lawn, Crookshanks trotting at its side. Alicia stared, she was absolutely positive that was the same dog she'd seen with Harry back in Surrey. Come to think of it, it was also the same dog she saw watching them from the Quidditch stands the day Alicia and Harry fell off.

What the hell was it doing here!? And why the hell was Crookshanks playing lap dog to it? That cat didn't bow for anyone…

Alicia watched surprised. Not only was their a black dog moving across the lawn, but it resembled the Grim. Harry and Alicia were just seeing a black dog… why was there a black dog running around Hogwarts? It seemed too simple to have come from the forest…

Alicia watched them move from one side of the lawn and then out of sight. Her mouth was hanging open slightly at the sight.

She wouldn't deny it was a weird thing to see this early in the morning.

Alicia went down to the breakfast with the rest of the team. When they entered, the Great Hall irrupted into an enormous applause. Both the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were applauding them too. The Slytherin table hissed loudly as they passed. Alicia felt a little better at having so much support, but also a little worried at how many people were counting on them to make Slytherin loose.

Wood spent the whole of breakfast urging his team to eat, while touching nothing himself.

"Wood eat some damn food yourself or I promise I'll smash your face into it!" Wood looked at Alicia surprised, yelling at Wood made her feel a little better. Harry leaned towards him.

"I suggest you do it, she'd not kidding." and so Wood finally ate something. He then hurried them off to the field before anyone else had finished, so they could get an idea of the conditions. As they left the Great Hall, everyone applauded again.

"Good luck, Harry!" called Cho. Alicia smirked and nudged Harry who began to blush

"Okay — no wind to speak of — sun's a bit bright, that could impair your vision, watch out for it — ground's fairly hard, good, that'll give us a fast kickoff —"

Wood paced the field, staring around with the team behind him. Finally, they saw the front doors of the castle open in the distance and the rest of the school spilling onto the lawn.

"Locker rooms," said Wood tersely.

None of them spoke as they changed into their scarlet robes. Alicia felt her nerves rising and getting worse. In what seemed like no time at all, Wood was saying, "Okay, it's time, let's go —"

They walked out onto the field to a tidal wave of noise. Three-quarters of the crowd was wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon them, or brandishing banners with slogans like "GO GRYFFINDOR!" and "LIONS FOR THE CUP!" Behind the Slytherin goal posts, however, two hundred people were wearing green; the silver serpent of Slytherin glittered on their flags, and Professor Snape sat in the very front row, wearing green like everyone else, and a very grim smile.

"And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan, who was acting as commentator as usual. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Evans, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years —"

Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of "boos" from the Slytherin end.

"And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill —"

More boos from the Slytherin crowd. Lee had a point though, Malfoy was easily the smallest person on the Slytherin team; the rest of them were enormous.

"Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.

Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers.

"Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three… two… one…"

The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air. All of Alicia's nerves were left behind on the ground and as the wind whipped her hair from the speed of her broom she couldn't help but grin at being back in Quidditch. Alicia raced forwards as the Quaffle was released and snatched it out from under a Slytherin's nose.

"And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Evans of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia!" she grinned and watched as Warrington flew straight at her. She turned and saw Katie behind her and passed her the Quaffle with a shout.

Warrington got in the way.

"Argh, no — Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing up the field — WHAM! — nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by — Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina." Alicia flanked the girl looking around. Angelina passed Alicia the Quaffle as the two dodged Montague. "— nice swerve around Montague —" Alicia threw the Quaffle back to Angelina and the both of them ducked quickly "— _duck, Alicia! Watch out Angelina, that_ _'_ _s a Bludger_!" came Lee's voice. Alicia and Angelina shot for the goal post and both shared a grin before Angelina threw the red ball to the hoops "— SHE SCORES! TEN–ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Angelina punched the air and Alicia shared a high five before the two soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight —

Alicia suddenly ducked and her broom spiralled downwards as Marcus Flint appeared before her and Angelina. Angelina wasn't as lucky.

"OUCH!"

She was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.

"Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!"

"You lying freak!" Alicia shouted. She needed have bothered, a moment later, Fred chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.

"That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between them. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to _their_ Chaser!"

"Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, but Madam Hooch blew her whistle.

"Good job Fred." Alicia grinned as she flew forward to take the penalty.

"Come on, Alicia!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. Alicia grinned and threw the Quaffle. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY–ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

Alicia watched Flint, still bleeding freely, fly forward to take the Slytherin penalty. Wood was hovering in front of the Gryffindor goal posts, his jaw clenched.

" 'Course, Wood's a superb Keeper!" Lee Jordan told the crowd as Flint waited for Madam Hooch's whistle. "Superb! Very difficult to pass — very difficult indeed — YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!"

Alicia grinned and readied for Angelina to take the Quaffle again.

"Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession —" Alicia raced forwards and punched the Quaffle from the Slytherin's hand. Katie caught it and both shot off down the field. "No! — Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field."

Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle had grabbed her head. Katie cartwheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom, but dropped the Quaffle.

"THAT WAS DELIBERATE!" Lee shouted

Alicia however had swung her leg and kicked Montague straight in the jaw as she flew past. Her toes hurt slightly from the force.

She then turned around and looked incredibly guilt and sorry, flying up to Montague to ask if he was alright. He launched at her on his broom but the Firebolt swerved out of his way.

Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him.

Alicia grinned as she watched a little ways off.

"Well done." Fred appeared next to her as Gryffindor was awarded a penalty and Slytherin weren't, to which they were very unhappy about.

"What? Innocence is a skill." she winked before flying off.

A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Seeker.

"THIRTY–ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING —"

"Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way — !"

"I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"

Alicia flew past as suddenly Harry flew in the opposite direction from her. Malfoy was quickly tailing after him. Her eyes narrowed as she didn't see the snitch anywhere, not only that but he wasn't supposed to catch it yet…

Then she grinned as Malfoy was following and turned in the opposite direction. She saw the snitch glint for a minute and was then gone.

She turned after Katie who waved at her and flew after Harry.

WHOOSH.

One of the Bludgers came streaking past Harry's right ear, hit by the gigantic Slytherin Beater, Derrick. Then again —

WHOOSH.

The second Bludger grazed Harry's elbow. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in.

Alicia watched as both Bole and Derrick zooming toward him, clubs raised —

Harry turned the Firebolt upward at the last second, and Bole and Derrick collided with a sickening crunch.

"Ha haaa!" yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt!" Alicia grinned as she followed Angelina "And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle — Flint alongside her — poke him in the eye, Angelina! — it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke —" Angelina threw the Quaffle to Alicia, but it was intercepted. "— oh no — Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save — !"

But Flint had scored; there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end, and Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him.

"Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor in possession —"

It was turning into the dirtiest game Alicia had yet to play in. Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead, the Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle. Bole hit Alicia with his club in the arm and tried to say he'd thought she was a Bludger. George Weasley got to Bole before Alicia could, who was enraged, and elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties, and Wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Gryffindor.

Malfoy was still keeping close to Harry as they soared over the match, looking around for the snitch — once Gryffindor was fifty points ahead —

Katie scored. Fifty-ten. Fred and George Weasley were swooping around her, clubs raised, in case any of the Slytherins were thinking of revenge. Alicia flew slightly below incase she dropped it, but Bole and Derrick took advantage of Fred's and George's absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood; they caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his broom, completely winded.

Madam Hooch was beside herself.

"YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" she shrieked at Bole and Derrick. "Gryffindor penalty!"

And Angelina scored. Sixty-ten. Moments later, Fred Weasley pelted a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands; Alicia seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal — seventy-ten.

The Gryffindor crowd below was screaming itself hoarse — Gryffindor was sixty points in the lead, and if Harry caught the Snitch now, the Cup was theirs. Alicia glanced at him along with almost everyone else as he soared around the field, high above the rest of the game, with Malfoy speeding along behind him.

She was watching just long enough to see Harry put on a huge burst of speed and stretch out his hand.

And then everyone was shouting angrily as Malfoy threw himself forward, grabbed hold of the Firebolt's tail, and pulled it back.

Malfoy was panting with the effort of holding onto the Firebolt, but his eyes were sparkling maliciously.

"Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics!" Madam Hooch screeched, shooting up to where Malfoy was sliding back onto his Nimbus Two Thousand and One.

"YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B —"

Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her finger in Malfoy's direction, her hat had fallen off, and she too was shouting furiously.

Angelina went to take the penalty but Alicia took it from her, seeing the anger in her face. Alicia, pissed at Malfoy, knew one way of getting to him, was to put the Quaffle through a hoop. She took a deep breath, ignoring her anger somewhat and shot.

"GRYFFINDOR SCORES, EIGHTY-TEN!" Lee cried over the roars of the crowd.

It didn't seem enough, the Gryffindor team was losing concentration and the Slytherins, delighted by Malfoy's foul on Harry, were being spurred on to greater heights.

"Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for goal — Montague scores —" Lee groaned. "Eighty-twenty to Gryffindor…"

Harry was now marking Malfoy so closely their knees kept hitting each other. Harry wasn't going to let Malfoy anywhere near the Snitch.…

"Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Angelina, COME ON!"

Alicia watched with surprise as ever single Slytherin player apart from Malfoy was streaking up the pitch toward Angelina, including the Slytherin Keeper — they were all going to block her —

Alicia shot off at them all, leaning so low, she was flat on the handle of her broom. She wasn't the only one, Harry had the same idea. Like a bullet, they shot toward the Slytherins.

"AAAAAAARRRGH!"

They scattered as the Firebolts zoomed toward them; Angelina's way was clear.

"SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor leads by ninety points to twenty!"

Harry and Alicia had almost pelted headlong into the stands and both skidded to a to a halt in midair, reversed, and zoomed back into the middle of the field.

"Harry!" Alicia pointed as Malfoy was suddenly diving, a look of triumph on his face — there, a few feet above the grass below, was a tiny, golden glimmer —

"What are you doing!?" Alicia demanded to Harry who looked stunned "Go!" she shouted

Harry urged the Firebolt downward, but Malfoy was miles ahead —

Alicia raced off after the Quaffle intercepted it before anyone noticed and pelted to the goal posts as everyone watched Harry.

Lee seemed to notice however for he cheered down the megaphone after she scored.

"GRIFFINDOR SCORES! ONE HUNDRED-TWENTY!" the roar was ever louder then ever as Alicia turned to watch Harry as he was now level with Malfoy. Harry threw himself forward, took both hands off his broom. He knocked Malfoy's arm out of the way and —

"YES!"

He pulled out of his dive, his hand in the air, and the stadium exploded. Harry soared above the crowd. The tiny golden ball was held tight in his fist, beating its wings hopelessly against his fingers.

Alicia was the first one to him and she almost threw herself off her broom as she pulled him into a hug.

"You did it!" she shouted "We won the cup!" Harry was grinning just as much as Alicia was.

Wood was next to come speeding forwards, half-blinded by tears, he seized Harry around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into his shoulder. Harry felt two large thumps as Fred and George hit them; then Angelina's and Katie's voices, " _We_ _'_ _ve won the Cup_! _We_ _'_ _ve won the Cup_!" Tangled together in a many-armed hug, the Gryffindor team sank, yelling hoarsely, back to earth.

Wave upon wave of crimson supporters was pouring over the barriers onto the field. Hands were raining down on their backs. Alicia who was right next to Harry were being hugged and pressed just as much as she, Harry, and the rest of the team, were hoisted onto the shoulders of the crowd. Thrust into the light, she saw Hagrid, plastered with crimson rosettes — "Yeh beat 'em, Harry, yeh beat 'em! Wait till I tell Buckbeak!" There was Percy, jumping up and down like a maniac, all dignity forgotten. Professor McGonagall was sobbing harder even than Wood, wiping her eyes with an enormous Gryffindor flag; and there, fighting their way toward Alicia and Harry, were Ron and Hermione. Words failed them. They simply beamed as the twins were borne toward the stands, where Dumbledore stood waiting with the enormous Quidditch Cup.

As a sobbing Wood passed Harry the Cup he held it out for Alicia to take the other handle. The two lifted it into the air and the loudest roar in all of Hogwarts history filled the entire grounds.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

Harry's euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.

But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working; they were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. He was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings. In fact, the only people who seemed more anxious than Percy were Hermione and Alicia.

Harry and Ron had given up asking them how they were managing to attend several classes at once, but they couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule Hermione had drawn up for herself. The first column read:

 _Monday  
9 o'clock, Arithmancy  
9 o'clock, Transfiguration _

_Lunch  
1 o'clock, Charms  
1 o'clock, Ancient Runes _

"Hermione?" Ron said cautiously, because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. "Er — are you sure you've copied down these times right?"

"What?" snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule and examining it, she then grabbed Alicia's and compared the two. "Yes, of course I have."

Ron grabbed Alicia's and noticed she had the same schedule.

"You two are mental!" Ron said

"Is there any point asking how either of you are going to sit for two exams at once?" said Harry.

"No," said Hermione and Alicia shortly.

"Have either of you seen my copy of _Numerology and Gramatica_?" Hermione asked

"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," said Ron, but very quietly. Hermione started shifting heaps of parchment around on her table, looking for the book. Just then, there was a rustle at the window and Hedwig fluttered through it, a note clutched tight in her beak.

"It's from Hagrid," said Harry, ripping the note open. "Buckbeak's appeal — it's set for the sixth."

"That's the day we finish our exams," said Hermione, still looking everywhere for her Arithmancy book.

"And they're coming up here to do it," said Harry, still reading from the letter. "Someone from the Ministry of Magic and — and an executioner."

Hermione looked up, startled.

"They're bringing the executioner to the appeal! But that sounds as though they've already decided!"

"It doesn't surprise me that they have." Alicia admitted quietly with a frown.

"Yeah, it does," said Harry slowly.

"They can't!" Ron howled. "I've spent _ages_ reading up on stuff for him; they can't just ignore it all!"

Harry seemed to agree with Alicia though, she had a horrible feeling that the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures had had its mind made up for it by Mr. Malfoy. Draco, who had been noticeably subdued since Gryffindor's triumph in the Quidditch final, seemed to regain some of his old swagger over the next few days. From sneering comments Harry overheard, Malfoy was certain Buckbeak was going to be killed, and seemed thoroughly pleased with himself for bringing it about. It was all Harry could do to stop himself imitating Hermione and hitting Malfoy in the face on these occasions. It was worse as he and Ron tried to hold Alicia back whenever she lunged to break something of him. And the worst thing of all was that they had no time or opportunity to go and see Hagrid, because the strict new security measures had not been lifted, and Harry's invisibility cloak was where it had been since his last trip to Hogsmeade, below the one-eyed witch statue.

Exam week began and an unnatural hush fell over the castle. The third years emerged from Transfiguration at lunchtime on Monday, limp and ashen-faced, comparing results and bemoaning the difficulty of the tasks they had been set, which had included turning a teapot into a tortoise. Hermione irritated the rest by fussing about how her tortoise had looked more like a turtle but Alicia was more then happy with her results and was glad it was now two less subjects to worry about. Of course the boys tried to point out that she'd only been to one exam and the two girls fell silent.

"Mine still had a spout for a tail, what a nightmare…"

"Were the tortoises _supposed_ to breathe steam?"

"It still had a willow-patterned shell, d'you think that'll count against me?"

Then, after a hasty lunch, it was straight back upstairs for the Charms exam. Hermione had been right; Professor Flitwick did indeed test them on Cheering Charms. Harry slightly overdid his out of nerves and Ron, who was partnering him, ended up in fits of hysterical laughter and had to be led away to a quiet room for an hour before he was ready to perform the charm himself.

Hermione and Alicia however both performed the charm perfectly and Flitwick awarded them both ten points for it. After dinner, the students hurried back to their common rooms, not to relax, but to start studying for Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, and Astronomy.

Hagrid presided over the Care of Magical Creatures exam the following morning with a very preoccupied air indeed; his heart didn't seem to be in it at all. He had provided a large tub of fresh flobberworms for the class, and told them that to pass the test, their flobberworm had to still be alive at the end of one hour. As flobberworms flourished best if left to their own devices, it was the easiest exam any of them had ever taken, and also gave Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione plenty of opportunity to speak to Hagrid.

"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told them, bending low on the pretence of checking that Harry's flobberworm was still alive. "Bin cooped up too long. But still… we'll know day after tomorrow — one way or the other —"

They had Potions that afternoon, and Alicia got it as perfect as possible. Snape just shooed her from the room, never saying anything just as two years before, it was the worst exam in the sense that it was filled with an awkward silence.

Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning. Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over.

Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new boggart.

"Excellent, Harry," Lupin muttered as Harry climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks."

Flushed with his success, Harry hung around to watch Alicia, Ron and Hermione. Ron did very well until he reached the hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire. Hermione and Alicia did everything perfectly to no ones surprise, until Hermione reached the trunk with the boggart in it. After about a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming.

"Hermione!" said Lupin, startled. "What's the matter?"

"P — P — Professor McGonagall!" Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. "Sh — she said I'd failed everything!"

Alicia climbed out of the trunk with a grin and high-fifed Harry.

"Excellent Alicia! Perfect!" Lupin congratulated.

It took a little while to calm Hermione down. When at last she had regained a grip on herself, she, Alicia, Harry, and Ron went back to the castle. Ron was still slightly inclined to laugh at Hermione's boggart, but an argument was averted by the sight that met them on the top of the steps.

Cornelius Fudge, sweating slightly in his pinstriped cloak, was standing there staring out at the grounds. He started at the sight of Harry.

"Hello there, Harry! Alicia!" he said. "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"

"Yes," the two chorused. Hermione and Ron, not being on speaking terms with the Minister of Magic, hovered awkwardly in the background.

"Lovely day," said Fudge, casting an eye over the lake. "Pity… pity…"

He sighed deeply and looked down at Harry.

"I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in."

"Does that mean the appeal's already happened?" Ron interrupted, stepping forward.

"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," said Fudge, looking curiously at Ron.

"Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" said Ron stoutly. "The hippogriff might get off!"

Before Fudge could answer, two wizards came through the castle doors behind him. One was so ancient he appeared to be withering before their very eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin black moustache. They must have been representatives of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, because the very old wizard squinted toward Hagrid's cabin and said in a feeble voice, "Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this… Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?"

The black-moustached man was fingering something in his belt; Alicia looked and saw that he was running one broad thumb along the blade of a shining axe. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs and jerked her head toward the entrance hall.

"Why'd you stop me?" said Ron angrily as they entered the Great Hall for lunch. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice!"

"Ron, your dad works for the Ministry, you can't go saying things like that to his boss!" said Hermione, but she too looked very upset. "As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak…"

But even Alicia wasn't feeling confident and Hermione didn't seem to believe what she was saying either. All around them, people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch, happily anticipating the end of the exams that afternoon, but Alicia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, lost in worry about Hagrid and Buckbeak, didn't join in.

Harry's and Ron's last exam was Divination; Hermione's and Alicia's, Muggle Studies. They walked up the marble staircase together; Hermione and Alicia left the boys on the first floor and Harry and Ron proceeded all the way up to the seventh.

The two girls sat down for their exams and Alicia constantly checked her watch.

Finally it was finished and she and Hermione raced out of the room as quickly as possible. They ran past the trolls to the Gryffindor tower and sat in the far corner. Neither of the boys were back yet so they sat and waited.

Noel however appeared before the boys did. She had a letter in her hand and Alicia opened it with trembling fingers. It was dry this time, no tears had splattered it, yet his hand seemed to have shaken so much as he wrote that it was hardly legible.

Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset.

Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it  
Hagrid

Hermione and Alicia looked at each other sadly.

Ron came back first and he saw the girls, Noel and then the letter. He sat down slowly and took the letter reading it. About them minutes after that, Harry ran in.

"Professor Trelawney," Harry panted, "just told me —"

But he stopped abruptly at the sight of their faces.

"Buckbeak lost," said Ron weakly. "Hagrid's just sent this."

Harry read the note and looked at them. He looked at Alicia as she stood up, her face determined. He was thinking the same thing as she.

"We've got to go," said Harry at once. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"

"Sunset, though," said Ron, who was staring out the window in a glazed sort of way. "We'd never be allowed… 'specially you, Harry…"

Harry sank his head into his hands, thinking.

"If we only had the Invisibility Cloak…"

"Where is it?" said Hermione.

"Still in the statue isn't it." Alicia said to Harry who nodded. He told Hermione about why he had to leave it there.

"… if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble," he finished.

"That's true," said Hermione she looked at Alicia and grinned before she too got to her fee "If he sees _you_ … How do you open the witch's hump again?"

"Dissendium." Alicia said and Harry nodded.

"You — you tap it and say, ' _Dissendium,_ ' " said Harry. "But —" Hermione didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; she and Alicia strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight.

Alicia and Hermione went straight to the third floor, Hermione tapped the statue and Alicia slid down to the bottom. She grabbed the Invisibility cloak which was still on the floor where Harry'd left it as Hermione kept guard.

Alicia climbed out with a grin and the two returned to the common room. Hermione putting the cloak down on the table.

"Hermione, I don't know what's gotten into you lately!" said Ron, astounded. "First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawney —"

"She's awesome right." Alicia smiled giving Hermione a one armed hug.

Hermione looked rather flattered.

* * *

They went down to dinner with everybody else, but did not return to Gryffindor Tower afterward. Harry had the cloak hidden down the front of his robes; he had to keep his arms folded to hide the lump. They skulked in an empty chamber off the entrance hall, listening, until they were sure it was deserted. They heard a last pair of people hurrying across the hall and a door slamming. Hermione poked her head around the door.

"Okay," she whispered, "no one there — cloak on —"

Walking very close together so that nobody would see them, they crossed the hall on tiptoe beneath the cloak, then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, gilding the top branches of the trees.

They reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. He was a minute in answering, and when he did, he looked all around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling.

"It's us," Harry hissed. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and they stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Harry pulled off the cloak.

Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon their necks. He looked like a man who did not know where he was or what to do. This helplessness was worse to watch than tears.

"Wan' some tea?" he said. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.

"Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" said Hermione hesitantly.

"I — I took him outside," said Hagrid, spilling milk all over the table as he filled up the jug. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' — an' smell fresh air — before —"

Hagrid's hand trembled so violently that the milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.

Alicia frowning waved her wand and the milk went back in the jug which put itself back together.

Hagrid went to pick it back up but Hermione stopped him.

"I'll do it, Hagrid," she said quickly. Hagrid sat down and wiped his forehead on his sleeve. Harry glanced at Ron, who looked back hopelessly.

"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked fiercely, sitting down next to him. "Dumbledore —"

"He's tried," said Hagrid. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared… Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like… threatened 'em, I expect… an' the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Malfoy's… but it'll be quick an' clean… an' I'll be beside him…"

Hagrid swallowed. His eyes were darting all over the cabin as though looking for some shred of hope or comfort.

"Dumbledore's gonna come down while it — while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter — ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore…"

Hermione, who had been rummaging in Hagrid's cupboard for some cups, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up fighting back tears.

"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," she began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head.

"Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. An' yeh shouldn' be down here anyway… If Fudge an' Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, Harry, yeh'll be in big trouble."

"We can't leave you with this…" Alicia muttered, she had tears streaming down her face too. Hermione hid her tears from Hagrid as she bustling around making tea. Then, as she picked up the teapot, she let out a shriek.

"Ron! I — I don't believe it — it's _Scabbers_!"

Ron gaped at her.

"What are you talking about?"

Hermione carried the teapot over to the table and turned it upside down. With a frantic squeak, and much scrambling to get back inside, Scabbers the rat came sliding out onto the table.

"Scabbers!" said Ron blankly. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?"

He grabbed the struggling rat and held him up to the light. Scabbers looked dreadful. He was thinner than ever, large tufts of hair had fallen out leaving wide bald patches, and he writhed in Ron's hands as though desperate to free himself.

"It's okay, Scabbers!" said Ron. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!"

Alicia looked down at the rat with scrutinising eyes.

"What's he afraid of here? It's obviously safe enough to hide in." she said suspiciously

"What do you mean?" Ron asked

"I mean whether you like it or not I'm trusting the cat who thinks something's wrong with your rat." Alicia said as she stood up and crossed her arms.

Hagrid suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on the window. His normally ruddy face had gone the colour of parchment.

"They're comin'…"

Alicia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione whipped around. A group of men was walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Albus Dumbledore, his silver beard gleaming in the dying sun. Next to him trotted Cornelius Fudge. Behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair.

"Yeh gotta go," said Hagrid. Every inch of him was trembling. "They mustn' find yeh here… Go now…"

Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione picked up the cloak.

"I'll let yeh out the back way," said Hagrid.

They followed him to the door into his back garden. Buckbeak was in the garden a few yards away, tethered to a tree behind Hagrid's pumpkin patch. Buckbeak seemed to know something was happening. He turned his sharp head from side to side and pawed the ground nervously.

"It's okay, Beaky," said Hagrid softly. "It's okay…" He turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Go on," he said. "Get goin'."

But they didn't move.

"Hagrid, we can't —"

"We'll tell them what really happened —"

"They can't kill him —"

"Go!" said Hagrid fiercely. "It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"

They had no choice. As Hermione threw the cloak over Alicia, Harry and Ron, they heard voices at the front of the cabin. Hagrid looked at the place where they had just vanished from sight.

"Go quick," he said hoarsely. "Don' listen…"

And he strode back into his cabin as someone knocked at the front door.

Slowly, in a kind of horrified trance, Alicia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off silently around Hagrid's house. As they reached the other side, the front door closed with a sharp snap.

"Please, let's hurry," Hermione whispered. "I can't stand it, I can't bear it…"

"We need to leave." Alicia said, her voice barely an audible whisper.

They started up the sloping lawn toward the castle. The sun was sinking fast now; the sky had turned to a clear, purple-tinged grey, but to the west there was a ruby-red glow.

Ron stopped dead.

"Oh, please, Ron," Hermione began.

"It's Scabbers — he won't — stay put —"

Ron was bent over, trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat was going berserk; squeaking madly, twisting and flailing, trying to sink his teeth into Ron's hand.

"Scabbers, it's me, you idiot, it's Ron," Ron hissed.

Alicia eyed the rat but her eyes kept diverting to Hagrid's hut. She turned away and her eyes shut as the door opened behind them and men's voices carried over the grass.

"Oh, Ron, please let's move, they're going to do it!" Hermione breathed.

"Okay — Scabbers, stay _put_ —"

They walked forward; Harry, like Hermione, was trying not to listen to the rumble of voices behind them. Ron stopped again.

"I can't hold him — Scabbers, shut up, everyone'll hear us —" The rat was squealing wildly, but not loudly enough to cover up the sounds drifting from Hagrid's garden. There was a jumble of indistinct male voices, a silence, and then, without warning, the unmistakable swish and thud of an axe.

Hermione swayed on the spot and Alicia felt her breath catch in her throat.

"They did it!" she whispered to Alicia and Harry. "I d — don't believe it — they did it!"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

The four of them stood transfixed with horror under the Invisibility Cloak. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind them, they heard a wild howling.

"Hagrid," Harry muttered. Without thinking about what he was doing, he made to turn back, but both Ron and Hermione seized his arms. Alicia stood staring at the ground, her eyes filled with tears.

"We can't," said Ron, who was paper-white. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him…"

Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven.

"How — could — they?" she choked. "How _could_ they?"

"Come on," said Ron, whose teeth seemed to be chattering. They set off back toward the castle, walking slowly to keep themselves hidden under the cloak. The light was fading fast now.

By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them.

"Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still — OUCH! He bit me!"

"Ron, be quiet!" Hermione whispered urgently. "Fudge'll be out here in a minute —"

"He won't — stay — put —"

"What the hell's scaring him so badly?" Alicia demanded looking around.

The answer was right in front of them.

Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip.

"What's the _matter_ with him?"

Slinking toward them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness — Crookshanks. Whether he could see them or was following the sound of Scabbers's squeaks, they couldn't tell.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"

But the cat was getting nearer —

"Scabbers — NO!"

Too late — the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him. Alicia wasn't sure which one ran after the two first, her or Ron. But they had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off themselves before Hermione or Harry could stop them and pelted away into the darkness.

"Alicia!" Harry whisper-shouted

" _Ron_!" Hermione moaned.

Ron was shouting at Crookshanks as the two ran, Ron in front.

"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come _here_ —"

Run dived for his rat and Crookshanks dived out of the way quickly as Ron grabbed the rat.

" _Gotcha_!"

Crookshanks didn't stop there, he tried to leap at Ron's pocket.

"Get off, you stinking cat —"

Harry and Hermione caught up quickly as Alicia stood looking around. The last time she'd seen Crookshanks, he'd been with the black dog. Now the cat was here and the canine wasn't… so where was the Grim?

"Ron — come on — back under the cloak —" Hermione panted. "Dumbledore — the Minister — they'll be coming back out in a minute —"

But before they could cover themselves again, before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws… Something was bounding toward them, quiet as a shadow — an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.

Both Harry and Alicia reached for their wands but the dog was too fast. It made an enormous leap and the front paws hit Harry on the chest; he keeled over backward in a whirl of hair; he felt its hot breath, saw inch-long teeth —

"Harry!" Alicia cried

But the force of its leap had carried it too far; it rolled off him. Dazed, Harry tried to stand up; he could hear it growling as it skidded around for a new attack.

Alicia waved her wand and the dog was repelled in the opposite direction.

"I don't understand, pretty sure this dog's a friend of your cat's Hermione, why's it attacking us?!"

"It's what!?" Hermione questioned

"Crookshanks is like this dog's lapdog." Alicia confessed

Ron was on his feet. As the dog sprang back toward them he pushed Harry aside, slipping between him and Alicia; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm. Harry lunged forward, he seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll —

"Ron!" Alicia shouted as she tried to grab Ron's leg, the closest thing to her. She didn't even get within an inch of him though before, out of nowhere, something hit Alicia so hard across the chest, she was knocked off her feet. She heard Hermione shriek with pain and and Harry let out a cry before they both fell too.

" _Lumos Maxima_!" Alicia cried as she laid on the grass. The light sprang out of her wand and hovered in the sky a little. It was enough. It lit up the entire area around them and Alicia looked up worried. The wandlight showed the trunk of a thick tree; they had chased Scabbers into the shadow of the Whomping Willow and its branches were creaking as though in a high wind, whipping backward and forward to stop them going nearer.

And there, at the base of the trunk, was the dog, dragging Ron backward into a large gap in the roots — Ron was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight —

"Ron!" Harry shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and he was forced backward again.

All they could see now was one of Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground — but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Ron's leg had broken, and a moment later, his foot vanished from sight.

"Harry — we've got to go for help —" Hermione gasped; she was bleeding, the Willow had cut her across the shoulder while Harry had blood over his face.

"No! That thing's big enough to eat him; we haven't got time —"

"Harry — we're never going to get through without help —"

"Yes we will!" Alicia said strongly as she stood to her feet and ducked another branch.

Another branch whipped down at them, twigs clenched like knuckles.

"If that dog can get in, we can," Harry panted, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branches, but he couldn't get an inch nearer to the tree roots without being in range of the tree's blows.

"Oh, help, help," Hermione whispered frantically, dancing uncertainly on the spot, "please …"

"Where's that bloody cat!" Alicia demanded "Crookshanks!"

Crookshanks darted forward. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk.

Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione whispered uncertainly. She now grasped Harry's arm painfully hard as Alicia let out a sigh. "How did he know — ?"

"Like Alicia said, he's friends with that dog," said Harry grimly. "I've seen them together. Come on — and keep your wand out —"

Alicia went first towards the trunk, glancing at the tree slightly wearily as they covered the distance to the trunk in seconds, but before they had reached the gap in the roots, Crookshanks had slid into it with a flick of his bottlebrush tail. Alicia looked at Harry who nodded and she went first, her brother close behind. They crawled forward, headfirst, and slid down an earthy slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel.

" _Lumos_." Harry lit his wand for them to see Crookshanks a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light. Seconds later, Hermione slithered down beside them.

"Where's Ron?" she whispered in a terrified voice.

"This way," said Harry, setting off, bent-backed, after Crookshanks.

"Where does this tunnel come out?" Hermione asked breathlessly from behind him.

"I don't know… It's marked on the Marauder's Map but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten into it… It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade…"

"No, it looks like it's going just outside." Alicia agreed.

They moved as fast as they could, bent almost double; ahead of them, Crookshanks's tail bobbed in and out of view. On and on went the passage; it felt at least as long as the one to Honeydukes. Harry was taking fast painful gasps as Alicia ran with determination, determined to find Ron.

And then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Crookshanks had gone. Instead, Alicia could see a patch of dim light through a small opening.

She, Harry and Hermione paused, gasping for breath, edging forward. Alicia climbed out of the hole but stayed crouching beside it as Harry and Hermione poked their heads out.

It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up.

Alicia and Harry shared a look and Harry didn't need to question the determined look on her face. Harry glanced at Hermione, who looked very frightened but nodded.

Harry pulled himself out of the hole next to Alicia who stood up slowly, staring around. The room was deserted, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. Hermione suddenly grabbed Harry's arm again. Her wide eyes were traveling around the boarded windows.

"Harry," she whispered, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack."

Alicia looked around. Her eyes fell on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks had been torn out of it; one of the legs had been ripped off entirely.

"Ghosts didn't do that," Harry said slowly.

"But something physical could…" Alicia whispered as they shared a look.

At that moment, there was a creak overhead. Something had moved upstairs. Both of them looked up at the ceiling. Hermione was still gripping Harry's arms. He raised his eyebrows at her; she nodded again and let go.

"Come on." Alicia muttered.

Quietly as they could, they crept out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust except the floor, where a wide shiny stripe had been made by something being dragged upstairs.

They reached the dark landing.

" _Nox,_ " they whispered together, and the lights at the end of their wands went out. Only one door was open. As they crept toward it, they heard movement from behind it; a low moan, and then a deep, loud purring. They exchanged a last look, a last nod.

Wand held tightly before him, Harry kicked the door wide open.

On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring loudly at the sight of them. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle, was Ron.

Harry and Hermione dashed across to him. Alicia looked at Ron worried and then around the room as she walked in. Her eyes settled on not the black dog she was looking for but the waxy eyes she hadn't yet forgotten.

"Ron — are you okay?"

"Where's the dog?"

"Not a dog," Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. "Harry, it's a trap —"

"What —"

"He's the dog… he's an Animagus…"

Harry wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them.

A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black.

" _Expelliarmus_!" he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them.

Harry's and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Black caught them. Alicia's had gone back in her pocket the instant she spotted the man with the wand and remained there.

Suddenly there was silence by the shock and Alicia's mind was racing. Her eyes hit the ground were there were footprints and dog prints everywhere. In Surrey, the Quidditch match, across the lawn. Black had been here all along, he was the dog… but that wasn't the only thing.

"Padfoot." she muttered and everyone looked at her confused but Sirius who looked surprised at the name.

She already worked out Lupin was Mooney a while back, and that his friends and Alicia's father had to be the other three, she didn't know what the names meant or who was who. But now she knew, dogs had padded feet. Sirius was a dog.

Padfoot.

But, if he got the name because he was an animal… was her father, James, and Peter the same? Prongs and Wormtail? Her father didn't turn into a stag did he? And Wormtail… no one would choose to be a worm, so what then?

Sirius took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on Harry somewhere behind Alicia who was looking surprised, her eyes glued to Sirius as her mind worked.

"I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely. His voice sounded as though he had long since lost the habit of using it. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you, not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful… it will make everything much easier…"

Suddenly, Harry was advancing on Sirius, but there was a sudden movement on either side of him and two pairs of hands grabbed him and held him back…

Alicia stepped backwards until she was standing between Harry and Sirius, keeping the two apart and Harry from getting any closer.

"No, Harry!" Hermione gasped in a petrified whisper; Ron, however, spoke to Black.

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" he said fiercely, though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more colour, and he swayed slightly as he spoke.

Something flickered in Black's shadowed eyes.

"Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more." Alicia's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to stay upright. "You'll have to kill all four of us!"

"There'll be only one murder here tonight," said Black, and his grin widened.

One? Alicia thought, why only one? It's not like he cared…

" _Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought…_ "

"Why's that?" Harry spat, trying to wrench himself free of Ron and Hermione and push past Alicia. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew… What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"

"Harry!" Hermione whimpered. "Be quiet!"

"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared, and with a huge effort he broke free of Hermione's and Ron's restraint, Alicia stumbled forwards as he pushed past her and she put her hands out to break her fall as Harry lunged forward —

" _You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!_ "

" _Pettigrew… that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?_ "

" _Hero-worshipped Black and Potter,_ "

 _"Never quite in their league, talent-wise."_

If he was an animal… was her father, James, and Peter the same?

Wormtail… something with a wormlike tail…

Sirius didn't raise the wands in time — one of Harry's hands fastened over his wasted wrist, forcing the wand tips away; the knuckles of Harry's other hand collided with the side of Black's head and they fell, backward, into the wall —

Hermione was screaming; Ron was yelling. Alicia was still on the floor as she looked up in shock.

" _Blew Pettigrew to smithereens…_ "

" _A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below."_

 _"You know what Pettigrew's mother got back after Black had finished with him? The Order of Merlin, First Class, and Pettigrew's finger in a box. That was the biggest bit of him they could find."_

There was a blinding flash as the wands in Black's hand sent a jet of sparks into the air that missed Harry's face by inches; Harry felt the shrunken arm under his fingers twisting madly, but he clung on, his other hand punching every part of Black it could find.

But Black's free hand had found Harry's throat —

"No," he hissed, "I've waited too long —"

The fingers tightened, Harry choked, his glasses askew.

"Sirius stop!" Alicia shouted as she began to get to her feet. Hermione moved quickly and swung her foot. Ron hobbled over as Black let out a grunt of pain, he threw himself on Black's wand hand and there was a faint clatter.

Harry flung himself to grabbed his wand but —

"Argh!"

Crookshanks had joined the fray; both sets of front claws had sunk themselves deep into Harry's arm; Harry threw him off, but Crookshanks now darted toward Harry's wand —

"NO YOU DON'T!" roared Harry, and he aimed a kick at Crookshanks that made the cat leap aside, spitting; Harry snatched up his wand and turned —

"Get out of the way!" he shouted at Ron and Hermione.

They didn't need telling twice. Hermione, gasping for breath, her lip bleeding, scrambled aside, snatching up her and Ron's wands. Ron crawled to the four-poster and collapsed onto it, panting, his white face now tinged with green, both hands clutching his broken leg.

That was when Alicia realised something was missing… where was Scabbers —

The rat… Alicia's eyes widened.

" _A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below."_

 _"… what was left of Pettigrew in front of him… a heap of bloodstained robes and a few — a few fragments —"_

Wormtail.

" _He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements,_ "

" _Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was._ "

" _It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew — another of the Potters' friends._ "

" _He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored — asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword._ "

Black was sprawled at the bottom of the wall. His thin chest rose and fell rapidly as he watched Harry walking slowly nearer, his wand pointing straight at Black's heart.

"Going to kill me, Harry?" he whispered.

Harry stopped right above him, his wand still pointing at Black's chest, looking down at him. A livid bruise was rising around Black's left eye and his nose was bleeding.

"You killed my parents," said Harry, his voice shaking slightly, but his wand hand quite steady.

Black stared up at him out of those sunken eyes.

"I don't deny it," he said very quietly. "But if you knew the whole story."

"The whole story?" Harry repeated, a furious pounding in his ears. "You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know."

"You've got to listen to me," Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. "You'll regret it if you don't… You don't understand…"

"I understand a lot better than you think," said Harry, and his voice shook more than ever. "You never heard her, did you? My mum… trying to stop Voldemort killing me… and you did that… you did it…"

Before either of them could say another word, something ginger streaked past Harry; Crookshanks leapt onto Black's chest and settled himself there, right over Black's heart. Black blinked and looked down at the cat.

"Get off," he murmured, trying to push Crookshanks off him.

But Crookshanks sank his claws into Black's robes and wouldn't shift. He turned his ugly, squashed face to Harry and looked up at him with those great yellow eyes. To his right, Hermione gave a dry sob.

Alicia was on her feet, looking hard at the pair.

Harry raised the wand.

" _Expelliarmus_." Harry's wand went flying and everyone watched as Alicia caught it. She was staring at Sirius who was looking surprised. Harry stared at her with disbelief.

"Alicia…" he began and the anger was more then evident in Harry's voice.

"It wasn't him…" she breathed shaking her head as her eyes stayed on Sirius.

And then came a new sound —

Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor — someone was moving downstairs.

"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly. "WE'RE UP HERE — SIRIUS BLACK — _QUICK_!"

Black made a startled movement that almost dislodged Crookshanks. Harry turned to Alicia and began to walk towards her for his wand before the door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks. Harry wheeled around as Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room, his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to Harry in the middle of the room, Alicia, who'd pocketed her wand again quickly and only held Harry's, and then to Black himself, crumpled and bleeding near Harry's feet.

" _Expelliarmus_!" Lupin shouted.

Harry's wand flew out of Alicia's hand; so did the two Hermione was holding. Lupin caught them all deftly, then moved into the room, staring at Black, who still had Crookshanks lying protectively across his chest.

Then Lupin spoke, in a very tense voice. "Where is he, Sirius?"

Harry looked quickly at Lupin. Hermione and Ron were confused, but Alicia understood. It was all a scam.

Black's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron. Mystified, Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered.

Alicia searched Ron quickly, looking for the usual lump.

"But then…" Lupin muttered, staring at Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, "… why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless" — Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, "— unless _he_ was the one… unless you switched… without telling me?"

Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin's face, Black nodded.

And now did the anger set in on Alicia as her eyes hardened and her fists clenched.

"Professor," Harry interrupted loudly, "what's going on — ?"

But he never finished the question, because what he saw made his voice die in his throat. Lupin was lowering his wand, gazing fixedly at Black. The Professor walked to Black's side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so that Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Black like a brother.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.

Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed.

"You — you —"

"Hermione —"

" — you and him!"

"Hermione, calm down —"

"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for you — Me and Alicia!" Lupin's eyes flickered to Alicia

"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Lupin shouted. "I can explain —"

Harry could feel himself shaking, not with fear, but with a fresh wave of fury.

"I trusted you," he shouted at Lupin, his voice wavering out of control, "and all the time you've been his friend!"

"You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now — Let me explain…"

"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too — _he's a werewolf_!"

There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.

"No." Alicia said quietly as everyone looked at her. "That's not all correct."

"Alicia's right." Lupin said though he was looking at Alicia surprised "Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead…" An odd shiver passed over his face. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."

"You thought he was guilty too…" Alicia said looking at Black. Lupin looked at her and must have noticed her past tense for he nodded.

Ron made a valiant effort to get up again but fell back with a whimper of pain. Lupin made toward him, looking concerned, but Ron gasped,

" _Get away from me, werewolf_!"

Lupin stopped dead. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, "How long have you known?"

"Ages," Hermione whispered.

"Since I did Professor Snape's essay…" Alicia added, she was much more calm then Hermione, or Ron, or Harry.

"He'll be delighted," said Lupin coolly. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realise what my symptoms meant… Did you check the lunar chart and realise that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realise that the boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"

"Both," Hermione said quietly.

Lupin forced a laugh.

"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."

"I'm not," Hermione whispered "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!"

"But they already know," said Lupin. "At least, the staff do."

"Mooney." Alicia said as everyone looked at her, even Hermione looked confused.

"Pardon?" Lupin asked

"You're Mooney." Alicia repeated and then turned to Sirius "Padfoot." she said

"How'd you—"

"What's a better nickname for a werewolf, and a dog." Alicia said simply

"Well, now that is impressive." Lupin smiled

"If you're impressed now, wait till you hear what else my mind cooked up." Alicia whispered

"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf?" Ron gasped suddenly. "Is he mad?"

"Some of the staff thought so," said Lupin. "He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy —"

"AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!" He was pointing at Black, who suddenly crossed to the four-poster bed and sank onto it, his face hidden in one shaking hand. Crookshanks leapt up beside him and stepped onto his lap, purring. Ron edged away from both of them, dragging his leg.

"Harry!" Alicia shouted at him, Harry had never looked more surprised before then to have his own sister not angry at their parents murderer. But Harry was wrong.

"I have _not_ been helping Sirius," said Lupin. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look —"

He separated Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's wands and threw each back to its owner; Harry caught his, stunned.

"There," said Lupin, sticking his own wand back into his belt. "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"

"Yes." Alicia said immediately and she looked at the other three hard "We all will."

Harry looked from her to Lupin

"If you haven't been helping him," Harry said, with a furious glance at Black, "how did you know he was here?"

"The map," said Lupin. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it —"

"You know how to work it?" Harry said suspiciously.

"Of course he does." Alicia said with a small grin.

"I helped write it. As Alicia just pointed out, I'm Moony — that was my friends' nickname for me at school."

"You wrote — ?"

"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?"

He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet.

"You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry —"

"How d'you know about the cloak?"

"Really Harry?" Alicia asked

"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…" said Lupin, waving an impatient hand. "The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."

"What?" said Harry. "No, we weren't!"

"I couldn't believe my eyes," said Lupin, still pacing, and ignoring Harry's interruption. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"

"No one was with us!" said Harry.

"And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled _Sirius Black…_ I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow —"

"One of us!" Ron said angrily.

"No, Ron," said Lupin. "Two of you."

"We didn't know it… but, we've had someone with us all year." Alicia said and everyone turned to look at her. "That's why the sneakerscope kept going off. Why Crookshanks has been so hell bent. And to what surprise Sirius brakes out of Azkaban just after Ron's family appears in the paper…"

Lupin was looking impressed

"Well well well, you're right, I am impressed."

"Wormtail." Alicia said "That was his nickname wasn't it."

"Very good." Lupin nodded "Do you know why?"

"Because he was an animagus as well, and he turned into something with a worm like tail." Alicia answered, her eyes set hard on Lupin who didn't remove his gaze "That only left Prongs, a stag. My dad didn't really turn into a stag did he?" Lupin smiled

"Oh yes, he did. Magnificent that one was." Lupin smiled "How did you connect us to the map?" Lupin questioned

"When Snape caught Harry with it." Alicia said simply "You recognised it, you covered for us, you knew what it was, you knew it had been confiscated, and Mooney fit you perfectly. I already knew what you were by then." Harry, Hermione and Ron were watching Alicia absolutely surprised while Sirius was looking almost as impressed and surprised by all three and Lupin put together.

"It wasn't till Ron said Sirius was an animagus that I understood what the other names meant." Alicia whispered looking at the man. "With everything else I've heard this year, I kinda pieced it together."

"Well, I am astounded at how brilliant you are. Just like your mother." Lupin smiled

"What are you talking about?" Harry demanded. Alicia turned to him.

"Sirius didn't kill our parents Harry. He didn't betray them."

"Yes he…"

"No he didn't." Alicia cut him off seriously "Someone else did!" she said and from the look on her face, Harry didn't dare argue as he looked around confused

"Who?" he demanded. Lupin answered by turning to Ron.

"Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he said evenly.

"What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"

"Everything," said Lupin. "Could I see him, please?"

Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald worm like tail to stop him escaping.

Crookshanks stood up on Black's leg and made a soft hissing noise.

Lupin moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers.

"What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"

"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius Black suddenly.

"What d'you mean — of course he's a rat —"

"No, he's not," said Lupin quietly. "He's a wizard."

"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

Everyone was silent until Ron broke it.

"You're both mental."

"Ridiculous!" said Hermione faintly.

"It's true." Alicia said

"How do you know?" Hermione demanded

"Because I'm good at piecing facts. Don't you remembered what you said a while back?" Alicia demanded angrily they didn't believe her. "Well I suggest we listen, you're mind's good at piecing information together." Alicia quoted. "But, you know, it's usually too late because I don't have one piece of information."

"The piece of information I needed was that Sirius, my dad and Peter were all Animagi." she admitted,

"Peter Pettigrew's _dead_!" said Harry. " _He_ killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively.

"I meant to," he growled, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me… not this time, though!"

And Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg.

"Sirius, NO!" Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards, but it was surprising when Alicia did too and they both dragged Black away from Ron again, "WAIT! You can't do it just like that — they need to understand — we've got to explain —"

"We can explain afterwards!" snarled Black, trying to throw Lupin and Alicia off.

"You've waited this long you can wait longer!" Alicia snapped as Sirius wriggled. One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape.

"They've — got — a — right — to — know — everything!" Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Black. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand! And Harry — you owe both Alicia and Harry the truth, Sirius!"

Black stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.

"All right, then," Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…"

"You're nutters, both of you," said Ron shakily, looking round at Harry and Hermione for support. "I've had enough of this. I'm off."

He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.

"You're going to hear me out, Ron," he said quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen."

"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Harry caught him and pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, Harry turned to Lupin.

"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," he said. "A whole street full of them…"

"No. They didn't." Alicia shook her head.

"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" said Black savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands.

"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Lupin, nodding. "I believed it myself — until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies… Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."

Harry looked down at Ron, and as their eyes met. Harry looked at Alicia who nodded seriously as she stood beside Sirius.

Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly.

"But Professor Lupin… Scabbers can't be Pettigrew… it just can't be true, you know it can't…"

"Why can't it be true?" Lupin said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with grindylows.

"Because… because people would _know_ if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And Alicia and I looked them up when we did our homework — the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things… and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list —"

"Hermione, just because the Ministry knows of seven doesn't mean there's _only_ seven." Alicia said obviously and Lupin nodded.

"The Ministry never knew that there used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."

"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers's every desperate move. "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer."

"All right… but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Lupin, "I only know how it began…"

Lupin broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of them stared at it. Then Lupin strode toward it and looked out into the landing.

"No one there…"

Alicia's eyes narrowed. Just because they couldn't see them doesn't mean there was no one…

"This place is haunted!" said Ron.

"It's not," said Lupin, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me."

He pushed his greying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment, then said, "That's where all of this starts — with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy…"

He looked sober and tired. Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione said, "Shh!" She was watching Lupin very intently.

"I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I am able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.

"Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me.

"But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…" Lupin sighed, and looked directly at Alicia and Harry. "I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted _because_ I came to Hogwarts. This house" — Lupin looked miserably around the room, — "the tunnel that leads to it — they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous."

"My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumour… Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it…

"But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… and, of course, your father, Alicia, Harry — James Potter.

"Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her… I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione and Alicia, worked out the truth…

"And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."

"My dad too?" said Harry, astounded and Alicia grinned with a nod.

"Yes, indeed," said Lupin. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school, and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong — one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will."

"But how did that help you?" said Hermione, sounding puzzled.

"They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," said Lupin. "A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed… Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."

"Hurry up, Remus," snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face.

Alicia nudged him annoyed and the man didn't look happy but with her stern look he didn't say anything.

"I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there… well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did… And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs."

"What sort of animal — ?" Harry began, but Alicia cut him off.

"A stag." Alicia said to Harry, knowing what he was thinking. He understood, obviously his rage had been keeping him from paying attention before.

"That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"

"A thought that still haunts me," said Lupin heavily. "And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless — carried away with our own cleverness."

"I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course… he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed…"

Lupin's face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. "All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do with it… so, in a way, Snape's been right about me all along."

"Snape?" said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers for the first time in minutes and looking up at Lupin. "What's Snape got to do with it?"

"He's here, Sirius," said Lupin heavily. "He's teaching here as well." He looked up at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"He's been telling Dumbledore that someone in the school was helping you inside it." Alicia admitted "Didn't occur to me who until Lupin admitted to being dad's friend."

"Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defence Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons… you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me —"

Black made a derisive noise.

"It served him right," he sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled…"

"And dad saved him." Alicia muttered to which Lupin and Sirius looked at her

"Yes… Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Lupin told Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "We were in the same year, you know, and we — er — didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field… anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be — er — amusing, to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it — if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf — but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life… Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was…"

"So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry slowly, "because he thought you were in on the joke?"

"That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin.

Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

Hermione screamed. Black leapt to his feet. Alicia looked both angry and frustrated with herself.

"I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep this wand pointing directly at Lupin's chest. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you…"

Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he said, his eyes glittering. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did… lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus —" Lupin began, but Snape overrode him.

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout —"

"Severus, you're making a mistake," said Lupin urgently. "You haven't heard everything — I can explain — Sirius is not here to kill Harry —"

"He doesn't care." Alicia said and Lupin glanced at her, Snape as usual ignored her. Snape was so hung up on an old rivalry he'd send an innocent man to death.

"Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this… He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin… a _tame_ werewolf —"

"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

Lupin apparently agreed with Alicia but Snape didn't like it.

BANG! Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move. With a roar of rage, Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes.

"Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

Black stopped dead. It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred.

Hermione, Harry and Ron all looked surprised and confused. Alicia was angry. She wanted to hear the rest. She wanted Harry to know that their possibly only family member was innocent!

Hermione, however, took an uncertain step toward Snape and said, in a very breathless voice, "Professor Snape — it — it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w — would it?"

"Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spat. "You, Potter, Evans, and Weasley are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, _hold your tongue._ "

"But if — if there was a mistake —"

"KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" A few sparks shot out of the end of his wand, which was still pointed at Black's face. Hermione fell silent.

Alicia was glaring with anger and her hand was very slowly moving for her wand.

"Vengeance is very sweet," Snape breathed at Black. "How I hoped I would be the one to catch you…"

"The joke's on you again, Severus," Black snarled. "As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle" — he jerked his head at Ron — "I'll come quietly…"

"Up to the castle?" said Snape silkily. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black… pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay…"

What little colour there was in Black's face left it.

"You — you've got to hear me out," he croaked. "The rat — look at the rat —"

But there was a mad glint in Snape's eyes that Alicia had never seen before. He seemed beyond reason.

"Come on, all of you," he said. He clicked his fingers, and the ends of the cords that bound Lupin flew to his hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the dementors will have a kiss for him too —"

Before he knew what he was doing, Harry had crossed the room in three strides and blocked the door. Alicia was by his side instantly.

"Get out of the way, Potter, you're in enough trouble already," snarled Snape. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin —"

"We're not in trouble." Alicia said lowly. Her wand was in her hand, she's never been so angry at Snape before.

"Professor Lupin could have killed me or Alicia about a hundred times this year," Harry said. "We've been alone with him loads of times, having defence lessons against the dementors. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?"

"Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works," hissed Snape. "Get out of the way, Potter. Evans."

"Not on your life." Alicia hissed and Snape looked surprised

"YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Harry yelled. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN —"

"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" Snape shrieked, looking madder than ever. "Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black — now get out of the way, or I will _make you._ GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!"

As if all their minds were working in sync, Alicia, Harry, Ron and Hermione all shouted the same single word, the wands pointed at Snape.

" _Expelliarmus_!" There was a blast that made the door rattle on its hinges; Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, then slid down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his hair. He had been knocked out.

Snape's wand soared in a high arc and landed on the bed next to Crookshanks.

"You shouldn't have done that," said Black, looking at Alicia and Harry. "You should have left him to me…"

"Sorry, my anger got the best of me." Alicia muttered as Harry avoided Sirius' eyes.

"We attacked a teacher…We attacked a teacher…," Hermione whimpered, staring at the lifeless Snape with frightened eyes. "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble —"

Lupin was struggling against his bonds. Black bent down quickly and untied him. Lupin straightened up, rubbing his arms where the ropes had cut into them.

"Thank you, Harry," he said.

"I'm still not saying I believe you," he told Lupin.

"Then it's time we offered you some proof," said Lupin. "You, boy — give me Peter, please. Now."

Ron clutched Scabbers closer to his chest.

"Come off it," he said weakly. "Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on _Scabbers_? I mean…" He looked up at Harry and Hermione for support, "Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat — there are millions of rats — how's he supposed to know which one he's after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"

"You know, Sirius, that's a fair question," said Lupin, turning to Black and frowning slightly. "How _did_ you find out where he was?"

"The newspaper." Alicia shrugged. Everyone looked at her

"You are smart aren't you." Sirius said. Alicia shot him a look but shrugged. To answer everyone's expressions, Sirius put one of his clawlike hands inside his robes and took out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat and held out to show the others.

It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the _Daily Prophet_ the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.

"How did you get this?" Lupin asked Black, thunderstruck.

"Fudge," said Black. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page… on this boy's shoulder… I knew him at once… how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts… to where Harry and Alicia were…"

"My God," said Lupin softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. "His front paw…"

"What about it?" said Ron defiantly.

"He's got a toe missing," said Black.

"Of course," Lupin breathed. "So simple… so _brilliant…_ he cut it off himself?"

"Just before he transformed," said Black.

"Which is why the robes were left behind?" Alicia half asked and Sirius nodded

"When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself — and sped down into the sewer with the other rats…"

"Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" said Lupin. "The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger."

"He did, he's the one ho told Harry and I," Alicia admitted

"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right —"

"Twelve years, in fact," said Lupin. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"

"Yes…"

"We — we've been taking good care of him!" said Ron.

"Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" said Lupin. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again…"

"He's been scared of that mad cat!" said Ron, nodding toward Crookshanks, who was still purring on the bed.

"Ron, you wanted to get that rat tonic for Scabbers before Hermione bought Crookshanks." Alicia admitted "He was already looking dreadful."

"This cat isn't mad," said Black hoarsely. He reached out a bony hand and stroked Crookshanks's fluffy head. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognised Peter for what he was right away."

"That's why he leapt at him in the shop." Alicia grinned

"And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me… Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me…"

"What do you mean?" breathed Hermione.

"He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't… so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me… As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table…"

"Neville's table." Alicia muttered "That's how you got in. I told you we needed to trust Crookshanks." she nudged Harry who was still next to her.

"But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it…" croaked Black. "This cat — Crookshanks, did you call him? — told me Peter had left blood on the sheets… I supposed he bit himself… Well, faking his own death had worked once…"

"You two have been fighting for no reason." Alicia said to Ron and Hermione.

"And why did he fake his death?" Harry said furiously. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"

"No," said Lupin, "Harry —"

"And now you've come to finish him off!"

"Yes, I have," said Black, with an evil look at Scabbers.

"Then I should've let Snape take you!" Harry shouted.

"Harry," Alicia said annoyed "Sirius didn't kill our parents, why do you think he wants to kill Peter so badly?" Alicia asked

"Harry," said Lupin hurriedly, "don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down — but it was the other way around, don't you see? _Peter_ betrayed your mother and father — Sirius tracked _Peter_ down —"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry yelled. "HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP. HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"

He was pointing at Black, who shook his head slowly; the sunken eyes were suddenly overbright.

"Harry, they switched." Alicia muttered remembering Lupin saying so when he first walked in…

She looked confused.

"But then, why do you blame yourself?" Alicia muttered to Sirius

"… I as good as killed them," he croaked. "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me… I'm to blame, I know it… The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies… I realised what Peter must've done… what I'd done…"

Alicia was frowning.

His voice broke. He turned away.

"Enough of this," said Lupin, and there was a steely note in his voice Harry had never heard before. "There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, _give me that rat._ "

"What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron asked Lupin tensely.

"Force him to show himself," said Lupin. "If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him."

Ron looked at Alicia who was holding his gaze. He hesitated. Then at long last, he held out Scabbers and Lupin took him. Scabbers began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head.

"Ready, Sirius?" said Lupin.

Black had already retrieved Snape's wand from the bed. He approached Lupin and the struggling rat, and his wet eyes suddenly seemed to be burning in his face.

"Together?" he said quietly.

"I think so," said Lupin, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One — two — THREE!"

A flash of blue-white light erupted from both wands; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen in midair, his small grey form twisting madly — Ron yelled — the rat fell and hit the floor. There was another blinding flash of light and then —

It was like watching a speeded-up film of a growing tree. A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands. Crookshanks was spitting and snarling on the bed; the hair on his back was standing up.

He was a very short man, hardly taller than Harry, Alicia and Hermione. His thin, colourless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top. He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabbers's fur, and something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes. He looked around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow. Harry saw his eyes dart to the door and back again. He and Alicia shared a look and nodded, Peter was going to try and run.

"Well, hello, Peter," said Lupin pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends around him. "Long time, no see."

"S — Sirius… R — Remu…" Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. "My friends… my old friends…"

Black's wand arm rose, but Lupin seized him around the wrist, gave him a warning look, then turned again to Pettigrew, his voice light and casual.

"We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed —"

"Remus," gasped Pettigrew, and beads of sweat could be seen breaking out over his pasty face, "you don't believe him, do you…? He tried to kill me, Remus…"

"So we've heard," said Lupin, more coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'd be so —"

"He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew squeaked suddenly, pointing at Black, and Harry saw that he used his middle finger, because his index was missing. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too… You've got to help me, Remus…"

Black's face looked more skull-like than ever as he stared at Pettigrew with his fathomless eyes.

Alicia wasn't sure who was angrier, Sirius, or herself. She glared the rat down with fury.

"No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," said Lupin.

"Sorted things out?" squealed Pettigrew, looking wildly about him once more, eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, the only door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"

"You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" said Lupin, his brow furrowed. "When nobody has ever done it before?"

"He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew shouted shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"

Alicia couldn't help it, she bursted out laughing. She wasn't the only one. Black started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room.

"Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said.

Pettigrew flinched as though Black had brandished a whip at him.

"What, scared to hear your old master's name?" said Black. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"

"Don't know what you mean, Sirius —" muttered Pettigrew, his breathing faster than ever. His whole face was shining with sweat now.

"You haven't been hiding from _me_ for twelve years," said Black. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter… They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them… I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways… If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter —"

"Don't know… what you're talking about…" said Pettigrew again, more shrilly than ever. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Lupin. "You don't believe this — this madness, Remus —"

"I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," said Lupin evenly.

"Innocent, but scared!" squealed Pettigrew. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban — the spy, Sirius Black!"

"Why you little rodent!" Alicia hissed

Black's face contorted.

"How dare you," he growled, sounding suddenly like the bear-sized dog he had been. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter — I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me and Remus… and James…"

Pettigrew wiped his face again; he was almost panting for breath.

"Me, a spy… must be out of your mind… never… don't know how you can say such a —"

"Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it," Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward. "I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff… Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you… It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."

Alicia was glaring harder now. How could he?!

Pettigrew was muttering distractedly; she caught words like "far-fetched" and "lunacy," but she couldn't help paying more attention to the ashen colour of Pettigrew's face and the way his eyes continued to dart toward the windows and door.

"Professor Lupin?" said Hermione timidly. "Can — can I say something?"

"Certainly, Hermione," said Lupin courteously.

"Well — Scabbers — I mean, this — this man — he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"

"He was cowering and acting like the rat he is." Alicia said

"There!" said Pettigrew shrilly, pointing at Ron with his maimed hand. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of Harry's head! Why should I?"

"I'll tell you why," said Black. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for fifteen years, they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him…"

Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk.

"Er — Mr. Black — Sirius?" said Hermione.

Black jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though he had never seen anything quite like her.

"If you don't mind me asking, how — how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"

"Thank you!" gasped Pettigrew, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I —"

"Shut up!" Alicia snapped at him

Black was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he were annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer.

"Is it because you're an animagus?" Alicia wondered. Sirius looked at her

"Partly, I guess." he muttered "I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the dementors couldn't suck it out of me… but it kept me sane and knowing who I am… helped me keep my powers… so when it all became… too much… I could transform in my cell… become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know…" He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions.… They could tell that my feelings were less — less human, less complex when I was a dog… but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand…

"But then I saw Peter in that picture… I realised he was at Hogwarts with Alicia and Harry… perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again…"

Pettigrew was shaking his head, mouthing noiselessly, but staring all the while at Black as though hypnotised.

"… ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies… and to deliver the last Potters to them. If he gave them Harry or Alicia, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honours…

"So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive…"

"' _He's at Hogwarts._ ' " Alicia muttered and looked at Harry. That was what the guards had said Sirius was muttering in his dreams.

"It was as if someone had lit a fire in my head, and the dementors couldn't destroy it… It wasn't a happy feeling… it was an obsession… but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog… It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused… I was thin, very thin… thin enough to slip through the bars… I swam as a dog back to the mainland… I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course. You both fly as well as your father did, Harry, Alicia…" Alicia grinned

He looked at Harry, who did not look away.

"Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."

"Just like Dad said." Alicia whispered, remembering Fudge telling Rosmerta.

Harry looked at Alicia and then nodded.

"No!"

Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though Harry's nod had been his own death sentence. He shuffled forward on his knees, grovelling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying.

"Sirius — it's me… it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't…" Black kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled.

"There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," said Sirius.

"Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead, writhing imploringly in front of him. "You don't believe this… wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"

"Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," said Lupin. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" he said casually over Pettigrew's head.

"Forgive me, Remus," said Black.

"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Lupin, who was now rolling up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing _you_ were the spy?"

"Of course," said Black, and the ghost of a grin flitted across his gaunt face. He, too, began rolling up his sleeves. "Shall we kill him together?"

"Yes, I think so," said Lupin grimly.

"You wouldn't… you won't…" gasped Pettigrew. And he scrambled around to Ron.

"Ron… haven't I been a good friend… a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you… you're on my side, aren't you?"

But Ron was staring at Pettigrew with the utmost revulsion.  
"I let you sleep in my _bed!_ " he said.

Alicia snorted with laughter and covered her mouth, the situation not allowing it.  
"Kind boy… kind master…" Pettigrew crawled toward Ron, "you won't let them do it… I was your rat… I was a good pet…"

"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter," said Black harshly. Ron, going still paler with pain, wrenched his broken leg out of Pettigrew's reach. Pettigrew turned on his knees, staggered forward, and seized the hem of Hermione's robes.

"Sweet girl… clever girl… you — you won't let them… Help me…"

Hermione pulled her robes out of Pettigrew's clutching hands and backed away against the wall, looking horrified.

Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and turned his head slowly toward Alicia and Harry.

"Harry… Harry… you look just like your father… just like him… and Alicia… just like your mother… Lily…"

Alicia's eyes narrowed in anger, she wasn't the only one who disliked this action.

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY AND ALICIA?" roared Black. "HOW DARE YOU FACE THEM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES AND LILY IN FRONT OF THEM?"

"Harry," whispered Pettigrew, shuffling toward him, hands outstretched. " Alicia, James wouldn't have wanted me killed… Lily, James, they would have understood, Harry… he would have shown me mercy Alicia…"

Alicia had ground her teeth.

"What? They would have understood that you killed them and tried to kill their children to save your own skin?" Alicia asked so quietly, that the cowering man flinched away.

Both Black and Lupin strode forward, seized Pettigrew's shoulders, and threw him backward onto the floor. He sat there, twitching with terror, staring up at them.

"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," said Black, who was shaking too. "Do you deny it?"

Pettigrew burst into tears. It was horrible to watch, like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor.

"Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine… I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me —"

"DON'T LIE!" bellowed Black. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"

"He — he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew. "Wh — what was there to be gained by refusing him?"

"How about some dignity?" Alicia demanded

"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, with a terribly fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"

"You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"

Black and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised.

"You should have realised," said Lupin quietly, "if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter."

Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall.

"NO!" Harry yelled. Alicia looked surprised and was rooted to the spot. He ran forward, placing himself in front of Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly. "You can't."

Black and Lupin both looked staggered.

Alicia moved to stand next to Lupin confused.

"I'm sorry, you wanted to kill Sirius when it was his fault, but don't want Peter killed?" she asked

"Do you…?"

"I don't want to be responsible…" she muttered, Sirius looked surprised "No matter what he did." she looked Peter

"I mean look at him…" he was cowering on the floor "He's his own punishment."

"Harry, Alicia, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Black snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."

Alicia suddenly had a thought.

"Of which you're being blamed for…" she pointed at Sirius "We can't kill him!" she said and moved next to Harry.

"What?!" Sirius asked

"We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the dementors… He can go to Azkaban… but don't kill him."

"Harry!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Harry's knees as Alicia jumped away grimacing at him. "You — thank you — it's more than I deserve — thank you —"

"Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because — I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers — just for you."

"Not only that but we're not being responsible for an innocent man going back to that place." Alicia said strongly. Especially when it was her's and Harry's last family member.

No one moved or made a sound except Pettigrew, whose breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest. Black and Lupin were looking at each other. Then, with one movement, they lowered their wands.

"You two are the only people who have the right to decide, Alicia, Harry," said Black. "But think… think what he did.…"

"He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. "If anyone deserves that place, he does…"

"Don't forget the dementor's kiss." Alicia said

Pettigrew was still wheezing behind him.

"Very well," said Lupin. "Stand aside, Harry."

Harry hesitated and Alicia did as told.

"I'm going to tie him up," said Lupin. "That's all, I swear." Harry stepped out of the way. Thin cords shot from Lupin's wand this time, and next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged.

"But if you transform, Peter," growled Black, his own wand pointing at Pettigrew too, "we _will_ kill you. You two agree?"

"Yes." Alicia said as Harry nodded

"Right," said Lupin, suddenly businesslike. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing."

He hurried over to Ron, bent down, tapped Ron's leg with his wand, and muttered, " _Ferula._ " Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince.

"That's better," he said. "Thanks."

"What about Professor Snape?" said Hermione in a small voice, looking down at Snape's prone figure.

"Leave him." Alicia muttered "He'll wake up eventually."

"There's nothing seriously wrong with him," said Lupin, bending over Snape and checking his pulse. "You were just a little — overenthusiastic. Still out cold. Er — perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safely back in the castle. We can take him like this…"

He muttered, " _Mobilicorpus._ " As though invisible strings were tied to Snape's wrists, neck, and knees, he was pulled into a standing position, head still lolling unpleasantly, like a grotesque puppet. He hung a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling. Lupin picked up the Invisibility Cloak and tucked it safely into his pocket.

"And two of us should be chained to this," said Black, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure."

"I'll do it," said Lupin.

"And me," said Ron savagely, limping forward.

Black conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Lupin's right, right arm to Ron's left. Ron's face was set. He seemed to have taken Scabbers's true identity as a personal insult. Crookshanks leapt lightly off the bed and led the way out of the room, his bottlebrush tail held jauntily high.

"Well then." Alicia sighed "That was one hell of a history lesson." she muttered before turning and following Crookshanks.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

It was a strange group that moved through the passage way. Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. Alicia was next and Harry and Hermione brought up the rear.

Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand. They were edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still in the lead. Alicia went after Sirius with Harry right after her, Sirius of which was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. Harry had the impression Black was making no effort to prevent this.

"You know what this means?" Sirius said abruptly to Alicia and Harry as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"

"You're free," said Harry.

"Yes…" said Black. "But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told you — I'm your godfather."

"Yeah, we knew that," said Harry.

"Not that anyone chose to mention it to our faces." Alicia grumbled

"Well… your parents appointed me your guardian," said Black stiffly. "If anything happened to them…"

Alicia looked at him surprised… no way… Did Sirius mean what she thought he meant?

"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Black. Alicia scoffed at the thought "or, in the orphanage… But… well… think about it. Once my name's cleared… if you wanted a… a different home…"

Alicia was already beaming.

"What — live with you?" Harry said, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Black quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd —" Alicia was laughing as Harry began to talk

"Are you insane?" said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Black's.

"Let me think," Alicia said "Wait, I've already decided, Harry?" she knew the answer though

"Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"

"I've got everything with me, and I know you do, can we go straight from Kings Cross?" Alicia asked

Black turned right around to look at them; Snape's head was scraping the ceiling but Black didn't seem to care.

"You want to?" he said. "You mean it?"

"Yeah, I mean it!" said Harry.

"One hundred percent!" Alicia said "Oh my god I haven't been this excited since I got to play quidditch." she admitted turning to Harry. "Think of the possibilities, no more Dudley! Hedwig can fly freely, I wont need to walk several streets and barge into the house just to see you…! We can fly around on our brooms all summer!" she jumped up and bashed her head slightly on the tunnel celling and Sirius and Harry chuckled at her slightly.  
Sirius's gaunt face broke into the first true smile Alicia and Harry had seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognisable as the man who had laughed at the twins' parents' wedding.

They did not speak again until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darted up first; he had evidently pressed his paw to the knot on the trunk, because Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron clambered upward without any sound of savaging branches.

Black saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back for Alicia, Harry and Hermione to pass. At last, all of them were out.

The grounds were very dark now; the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering. Alicia was all giddy she felt like an explosion wanted to go off, like it was too good to be true.

"One wrong move, Peter," said Lupin threateningly ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.

Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then —

A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight.

Alicia stopped walking as she saw her shadow on the ground. Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Black froze. He flung out one arm to make Harry and Hermione stop.

Alicia's eyes were glued to the ruined suit, Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

"Oh, my —" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"

"Run," Black whispered. "Run. Now."

"We can't," Alicia said "Ron!" Harry leapt forward but Black caught him around the chest and threw him back.

"Leave it to me — RUN!"

There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks's hair was on end again; he was backing away —

As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Alicia and Harry's side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other —

"Sirius!" Alicia worried, but there was something else happening at the same time. It was Hermione's scream that alerted her —

Pettigrew had dived for Lupin's dropped wand. Ron, unsteady on his bandaged leg, fell. There was a bang, a burst of light — and Ron lay motionless on the ground. Another bang — Crookshanks flew into the air and back to the earth in a heap.

" _Expelliarmus_!" Harry yelled, pointing his own wand at Pettigrew; Lupin's wand flew high into the air and out of sight.

"Peter!" Alicia shouted with rage

"Stay where you are!" Harry shouted, running forward.

Too late. Pettigrew had transformed. His bald tail whip through the manacle on Ron's outstretched arm and he scurried through the grass.

There was a howl and a rumbling growl. Alicia turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the forest — but Sirius.

Alicia was beside him worried.

"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" Harry yelled.

Sirius was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at Harry's words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds.

"Wait!" Alicia shouted. Harry and Hermione dashed over to Ron where Alicia joined them.

"What did he do to him?" Hermione whispered. Ron's eyes were only half-closed, his mouth hung open; he was definitely alive, they could hear him breathing, but he didn't seem to recognise them.

"I don't know…"

"It's not an unconscious spell…" Alicia muttered. She looked up worried. Sirius and Lupin both gone… they had no one but Snape for company, still hanging, unconscious, in midair.

"We'd better get them up to the castle and tell someone," said Harry, pushing his hair out of his eyes, trying to think straight. "Come —"

But then, from beyond the range of their vision, they heard a yelping, a whining: a dog in pain…

"Sirius," Harry muttered, staring into the darkness.

Alicia was gone as she scrambled to her feet and sprinted after the dog. After a minute she heard the pounding footsteps of Harry and Hermione behind her. The yelping seemed to be coming from the ground near the edge of the lake. They pelted toward it and Alicia felt the familiar cold air, her insides seeming to freeze over.

The yelping stopped abruptly. As they reached the lakeshore, they saw why — Sirius had turned back into a man. He was crouched on all fours, his hands over his head.

" _Nooo,_ " he moaned. " _Noooo…_ _please…_ "

There were at least a hundred dementors gliding in a black mass around the lake toward them.

Alicia felt the fog coming as the ice got worse. Harry turned to Hermione quickly.

"Hermione, think of something happy!" Harry yelled, raising his wand

Alicia already knew what was happy and she raised her wand.

" _Expecto patronum_!" The white whispery stuff flew out of the wand but the fog was getting harder to see though. It stayed, but it wasn't enough to get all the dementors to back off.

Harry was chanting beside her.

"Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!"

Sirius gave a shudder, rolled over, and lay motionless on the ground, pale as death.

" _Expecto patronum_! Hermione, help me! _Expecto patronum_!" Harry called

" _Expecto_ —" Hermione whispered, " _expecto_ — _expecto_ —"  
But she couldn't do it. The dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from them. They formed a solid wall around Harry, Alicia and Hermione, and were getting closer…

There was a ringing in Alicia's ears as she tried to concentrate on her happy memory. Her whispery shield was getting thiner and fading away.

The screaming in her head was building.

" _EXPECTO PATRONUM_!" Harry yelled, trying to blot the screaming from his ears. " _EXPECTO PATRONUM_!"

A thin wisp of silver escaped Harry's wand and joined Alicia's, hovering like mist before them. At the same moment, Hermione collapsed next to him.

Alicia tried to get the figure of the owl to emerge, like she had with the Boggart, but Lupin was right, the real thing _was_ much worse.

"Expecto — expecto patronum —"

Harry fell to his knees on the cold grass. Alicia's shield was fading away, she didn't have the strength to keep it up much longer as her legs shook.

"Expecto patronum!" Harry gasped.

By the feeble light of the formless Patronus, Alicia saw a dementor halt, very close to them. It couldn't walk through the cloud of silver mist Harry and Alicia had conjured. A dead, slimy hand slid out from under the cloak. It made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside.

Alicia was loosing it. The fog was clouding her vision worse then ever, the scream rang in her ears as it usually did, she was on her knees beside Harry, one hand holding her up, the other still had her wand raised.

"No — _no_ —" Harry gasped. "He's innocent… _expecto_ — _expecto patronum_ —"

They were watching them, the two could hear their rattling breath like an evil wind around him. The nearest dementor seemed to be considering them. Then it raised both its rotting hands — and lowered its hood.

Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, grey scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth… a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle.

She had no more happy thoughts and the feeble patrons flickered and died completely, Harry's straight after.

Alicia couldn't see anything through the white fog, she couldn't give up, she suddenly had a wonderful future with Harry and Sirius, like a family. Her words weren't working, she couldn't form the spell anymore. She couldn't see. In the distance, she heard the familiar screaming. Alicia reached for where Harry had been and found his arm. He was holding onto Sirius. Alicia wouldn't let go of either of them.

She felt as though something was yanking on Harry and from beside her she heard the rigid breath. They couldn't… they weren't going to… Harry's not on the list! Her mother was screaming in her ears, she knew Harry heard the same thing and her eyes were welling up. She couldn't do anything and her brother was about to have his soul sucked out!

And then, through the fog that was drowning them, she thought she saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighter, Alicia's arms gave way and she toppled sideway, her head hitting something boney but soft… Sirius…

She opened her eyes, the fog was retreating… a blinding light was illuminating the grass around them… The screaming had stopped, the cold was ebbing away… Something was driving the dementors back… It was circling around her, Harry, Sirius and Hermione…They were leaving… The air was warm again…

Alicia looked up, trying to turn her head. She saw something fly over head, an animal, and then something else was galloping away across the lake beneath it… Eyes blurred and not enough strength for her eyes to come into focus she tried to see what or who it was.

It was as bright as a unicorn… Fighting to stay conscious, Alicia watched one animal canter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore, the other landed on someone's shoulder. From the brightness of the animals, she saw two people, standing beside one another, welcoming the animals back… raising their hand to pat it, stroking the bird… someone who looked strangely familiar… the piercing green eyes reflected the light.

Her brain didn't want to work anymore, it had finished placing the information. Her eyes fluttered shut, just as she watched Harry fall to the ground next to her, his eyes far closed. She couldn't keep her eyes open either, her last ounce of strength was leaving her.

With one last look at the dirty arm of Sirius below her and Harry's ashen face, her eyes slipped closed and the world went black.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21:

She hated the first thing she heard.

"Shocking business… shocking… miracle none of them died… never heard the like … by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape…"

"Thank you, Minister."

"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"

"Thank you very much indeed, Minister."

"Nasty cut you've got there… Black's work, I suppose?"

"As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Evens, Weasley, and Granger, Minister…"

" _No_!"

"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behaviour. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions."

Alicia's brain beginning to race as suddenly everything came rushing back; Sirius, Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, the dememntors, the patronus'. Snape's lies rang through her ears and she wanted to hit him again with a curse. Sirius was innocent!

"On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape… They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now… I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves… and of course Evans and Potter have always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster —"

"Ah, well, Snape… Harry Potter, you know… we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned."

"And yet — is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. And any other student would be suspended — at the very least — for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister — against all school rules — after all the precautions put in place for his protection — out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer — and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too —"

"Well, well… we shall see, Snape, we shall see… The boy has undoubtedly been foolish…"

Alicia lay anger seeping into her groggy body and waking it faster. She didn't want to move though, her eyelids were heavy and her arms even more so.

"What amazes me most is the behaviour of the dementors… you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"

"No, Minister… by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances…"

"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and Alicia, and the girl —"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle."

"Some else sent them away…" Alicia muttered.

"Miss Evans!" Madam Pomfrey's voice filled her ears and someone came in through the door to the hospital wing.

There was a sudden silence

"There were two people…" Alicia continued

Alicia opened her eyes and looked at the celling.

"Alicia!" the Minister, very blurry, was leaning over her suddenly, Madam Pomfrey was in the corner of her eye. "What was that?"

"Someone sent the dements away, just before they performed the kiss on Harry." she muttered, her eyes coming into focus as she blinked

"On Harry!?" he asked astounded

"Yes." Alicia muttered as she closed her eyes "Minister… he's innocent…"

"Who…?"

"Sirius." she muttered "It wasn't him. He was framed."

"My dear girl, you're confused…"

"You think I'd protect the man if he killed my family?" she wondered, her eyes were in focus, her brain was working. She turned to the Minister who looked worried "It wasn't him."

Alicia began to sit up and the minister moved from her bed. She turned to see Harry next to her and Hermione next to him. After looking around she saw Snape looking irritated by the door and Ron in a bed on the opposite side of the wing.

"Ah, you're awake!" Alicia turned to see Harry and Hermione were awake also. Madam Pomfrey placed a boulder of chocolate on Harry's bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer.

"How's Ron?" said Harry and Hermione together.

"He'll live," said Madam Pomfrey grimly. "As for you three… you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're — Potter, what do you think you're doing?"

Harry was sitting up, putting his glasses back on, and picking up his wand.

Alicia was already on her feet, making sure she could walk without toppling over.

"I need to see the headmaster," he said.

"Potter," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now —"

"WHAT?"

Harry jumped up out of bed; Hermione had done the same Alicia was looking at the nurse shocked.

"Harry, it's alright…" Minister began as he turned from Alicia's bed to Harry

"Clearly they still aren't themselves." Snape said

"We're fine you lying moron!" Alicia snapped at him angrily, causing Snape's lip to curl and the minister to look surprised.

"Minister, listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's —"

But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

"Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control…"

"YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry and Alicia yelled.

"YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"

"Minister, listen, please," Hermione said; she had hurried to Harry's side and was gazing imploringly into Fudge's face. "I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and —"

"You see, Minister?" said Snape. "Confunded, all of them… Black's done a very good job on them…"

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry roared.

"You lying piece of shit! You were lying on the floor unconscious all night and here you are trying to claim an Order of Merlin! Just because you hate Sirius from a child rivalry!" Alicia said as she walked towards the man "You have no bloody say in this matter! All you did was cause harm, disruption and summon some stretchers!"

"Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Evans and Potter are my patients, and they should not be distressed!"

"I'm not distressed, I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Harry said furiously. "If they'd just listen —"

But Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Harry's mouth; he choked, and she seized the opportunity to force him back onto the bed.

Alicia however was raging.

"Bloody Adults who think they know everything when they don't know nothing! I bet you didn't even ask Sirius about what happened! Cowardly idiots can't even face the truth! You're about to kill the only family member Harry and I have left!"

Madam Pomfry grabbed Alicia and forced her to sit down as she trembled with anger.

"Now, _please,_ Minister, these children need care. Please leave —"

The door opened again. It was Dumbledore. Harry swallowed his mouthful of chocolate with great difficulty and got up again.

"Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black —"

"For heaven's sake!" said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist —"

"My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter, Miss Evans and Miss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black —"

"I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive —"

"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore, surveying Snape closely through his half-moon spectacles.

"And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."

"You were unconscious." Alicia hissed again

"That was because you were knocked out, Professor!" said Hermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear —"

"Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"

"Stop talking to her like that!" Alicia shouted at him.

"Now, Snape," said Fudge, startled, "the young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances —"

"I would like to speak to Alicia, Harry and Hermione alone," said Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy — please leave us."

"Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey "They need treatment, they need rest —"

"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore. "I must insist."

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her. Fudge consulted the large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat.

"The dementors should have arrived by now," he said. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."

He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape hadn't moved.

"You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's face.

"I wish to speak to Alicia, Harry and Hermione alone," Dumbledore repeated.

Snape took a step toward Dumbledore.

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breathed. "You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill _me_?"

"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly.

Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to Alicia, Harry and Hermione. Harry and Hermione both burst into speech at the same time.

While Alicia was pacing in anger. She'd never been filled with such rage, and yet worry was seeping through at every thought.

"Professor, Black's telling the truth — we _saw_ Pettigrew —"

"— he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf —"

"— he's a rat —"

"— Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off —"

"— Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius —"

But Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the flood of explanations.

"Alicia if you'd please come here and listen." he said. Alicia stopped pacing and took a deep breath before turning to stand beside Hermione.

"It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," he said quietly. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word — and the word of three thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper."

"Professor Lupin can tell you —" Harry said, unable to stop himself.

"Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little — and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends —"

"But —"

" _Listen to me, Harry._ It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours."

"He hates Sirius," Hermione said desperately. "All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him —"

"Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady — entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife — without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence."

"But you believe us."

"Yes, I do," said Dumbledore quietly. "But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic…

Alicia felt her heart ache, the floor leave from below her as she was falling through darkness. This was awful…

"What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Harry to Alicia and Hermione, "is more _time._ " Alicia's eyes widened at the offer.

"But —" Hermione began. Alicia nudged her and put a hand where her necklace hung

"OH!"

"What do you suggest Professor?" Alicia asked

"Pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. But remember this, all of you: _you must not be seen._ Miss Evans, Miss Granger, you know the law — you know what is at stake… _You_ — _must_ — _not_ — _be_ — _seen._ "

Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door.

"I am going to lock you in. It is —" he consulted his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Evans, Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

"Good luck?" Harry repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"

Alicia and Hermione weren't listening.

"Yours or mine?" Alicia asked

"Yours." Hermione said and Alicia pulled on the gold chain around her neck "Harry, come here," Hermione said urgently. " _Quick_!"

Harry moved toward the two girls, completely bewildered.

"Here." Alicia threw her long thin chain around both Hermione and Harry's necks as well as it being around her own.

Alicia grabbed the hour glass between her fingers and looked at Hermione and Harry, Hermione looking expectant and Harry confused

"Ready?" she said

"What are we doing?" Harry said, completely lost.

Alicia turned the hourglass over three times as no one answered him.  
The dark ward dissolved. The now familiar sensation of flying very fast, backwards occurred. A blur of colours and shapes rushed past them

And then their feet hit solid ground and everything came into focus again.

The three of them were standing in the deserted entrance hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors. Harry looked wildly around at Hermione. Alicia removed the chain from around them all and put it back into her robes.

"Hermione, what — Alicia — ?"

"In here!" Hermione seized Harry's arm as Alicia moved across the hall to the door of a broom closet; she opened it, and Hermione pushed Harry inside among the buckets and mops, then slammed the door behind the three of them.

"What — how — Hermione, what happened?"

"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered "Three hours back…"

"It's sunset again." Alicia whispered

"But —"

"Shh!" the girls whispered

"Listen! Someone's coming! I think — I think it might be us!"

Hermione had her ear pressed against the cupboard door and Alicia watched her expectantly.

"Yeah, remember how we heard a door slam before we left?" Alicia said in such a low whisper Harry missed half of it. Hermione nodded as she listened closely against the door.

"Footsteps across the hall… yes, I think it's us going down to Hagrid's!"

"And we're under the cloak so we have to be extra careful." Alicia muttered

"Are you telling me," Harry whispered, "that we're here in this cupboard and we're out there too?"

"Yes," said Hermione, her ear still glued to the cupboard door. "I'm sure it's us. It doesn't sound like more than four people… and we're walking slowly because we're under the Invisibility Cloak —"

She broke off, still listening intently.

"We've gone down the front steps…"

Hermione sat down on an upturned bucket, looking desperately anxious.

"Hermione calm down, we'll be fine." Alicia said noting her expression. She looked at Harry for back up but he looked like he was about to explode with questions… no surprise there really.

"Where did you _get_ that hourglass thing?" Harry asked Alicia

"We've both got one." Alicia admitted and Hermione pulled the chain out from her neck robes as proof.

"It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione whispered, "and we got them from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. Alicia and I have been using it all year to get to all our lessons. Professor McGonagall made us swear not to tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so we could have one."

"We were surprised when she gave us two actually." Alicia admitted

"She had to tell them that we were model students, and that neither of us would ever use it for anything except our studies… we've been turning it back so we could do hours over again, that's how Alicia and I been doing several lessons at once, see?"

"I've been using it for study periods too." Alicia admitted "That's why Hermione kept saying I was cheating. We've been given the Time-Turners for more time and that's what I needed."

"But…" Hermione sighed " _I don't understand what Dumbledore wants us to do._ Why did he tell us to go back three hours? How's that going to help Sirius?"

"Well apparently going back only one hour or two wasn't enough," Alicia muttered

"There must be something that happened around now he wants us to change," Harry said slowly. "What happened? We were walking down to Hagrid's three hours ago…"

"This _is_ three hours ago, and we _are_ walking down to Hagrid's," said Hermione. "We just heard ourselves leaving…"

"Hermione, don't confuse him too much." Alicia muttered, but too late Harry was frowning.

"Dumbledore just said — just said we could save more than one innocent life…" And then it hit him. "Hermione, we're going to save Buckbeak!"

"But — how will that help Sirius?"

"Well how else is Sirius going to get out of the grounds and past the dementors?" Alicia wondered

"Dumbledore said — he just told us where the window is — the window of Flitwick's office! Where they've got Sirius locked up! We've got to fly Buckbeak up to the window and rescue Sirius! They can escape together!"

Hermione looked terrified.

"If we manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!"

"We've been doing it all year Hermione, we'll be fine." Alicia assured her. "And that's in a school full of people, this is in the empty grounds."

"But…"

"We've got to try, haven't we?" said Harry. He stood up and pressed his ear against the door.

"Doesn't sound like anyone's there… Come on, let's go…"

Harry pushed open the closet door. The entrance hall was deserted. As quietly and quickly as they could, they darted out of the closet and down the stone steps. The shadows were already lengthening, the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest gilded once more with gold.

"If anyone's looking out of the window —" Hermione squeaked, looking up at the castle behind them.

"We'll be fine." Alicia muttered.

"We'll run for it," said Harry determinedly. "Straight into the forest, all right? We'll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout —"

"Okay, but we'll go around by the greenhouses!" said Hermione breathlessly. "We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!"

"Never thought you'd say that did you." Alicia muttered.

They tore off at a sprint, across the vegetable gardens to the greenhouses, paused for a moment behind them, then set off again, fast as they could, skirting around the Whomping Willow, tearing toward the shelter of the forest…

Safe in the shadows of the trees, Alicia turned as Harry was next to her and Hermione arrived beside them, panting.

"Right," she gasped. "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's… Keep out of sight, Harry…"

They made their way silently through the trees, keeping to the very edge of the forest. Then, as they glimpsed the front of Hagrid's house, they heard a knock upon his door. Harry and Hermione moved quickly behind a wide oak trunk and peered out from either side while Alicia ducked behind a tree next to them. Hagrid had appeared in his doorway, shaking and white, looking around to see who had knocked. And they heard Harry's voice.

"It's us. We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."

"Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered. He stood back, then shut the door quickly.

"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Harry said fervently.

"So far." Alicia added "Knowing us it'll get worse."

"Let's move along a bit," Hermione whispered. "We need to get nearer to Buckbeak!"

They crept through the trees until they saw the nervous hippogriff, tethered to the fence around Hagrid's pumpkin patch.

"Now?" Harry whispered.

"No!" said Alicia and Hermione.

"If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!" Hermione explained

"That's going to give us about sixty seconds," said Harry.

"Too bad." Alicia hissed.

At that moment, there was a crash of breaking china from inside Hagrid's cabin.

"That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione whispered. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment —"

Sure enough, a few minutes later, they heard Hermione's shriek of surprise.

"Hermione," said Harry suddenly, "what if we — we just run in there and grab Pettigrew —"

"Are you mad!?" Alicia whisper shouted.

"No!" said Hermione in a terrified whisper. "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen —"

"We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!"

"Only!?" Alicia demanded

"Harry, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid's house?" said Hermione.

"I'd — I'd think I'd gone mad," said Harry, "or I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on —"

" _Exactly_! You wouldn't understand, you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me and Alicia what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time… Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"

"And if you kill you past self, you're just gone. Both of you would die." Alicia hissed

"Okay!" said Harry. "It was just an idea, I just thought —"

"Unfortunately Harry, I don't think we can do anything about Pettigrew." Alicia muttered. Her dream of living with Harry and Sirius was lost.

Hermione nudged both twins and pointed toward the castle. Alicia turned and saw Dumbledore, Fudge, the old Committee member, and Macnair the executioner were coming down the steps.

"We're about to come out!" Hermione breathed.

And sure enough, moments later, Hagrid's back door opened, and they saw themselves and Ron walking out of it with Hagrid.

"It's okay, Beaky, it's okay…" Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Then he turned to Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione. "Go on. Get goin'."

"Hagrid, we can't —"

"We'll tell them what really happened —"

"They can't kill him —"

"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"

The Hermione in the pumpkin patch threw the Invisibility Cloak over herself, Alicia. Harry and Ron.

"Go quick. Don' listen…"

There was a knock on Hagrid's front door. The execution party had arrived. Hagrid turned around and headed back into his cabin, leaving the back door ajar. Alicia watched the grass flatten in patches all around the cabin and heard four pairs of feet retreating. She, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gone.

"Can you imagine how difficult this would be if we hadn't been too scared to turn around while under the cloak." Alicia muttered. Harry nodded in agreement before Alicia suddenly thought of something else.

"Hang on, what if the Mauraders Map shows us twice? Lupin would know." she muttered. Hermione looked at her terrified but didn't get to comment as the three of them were distracted by the voices seeping from inside the cabin through the back door.

"Where is the beast?" came the cold voice of Macnair.

"Out — outside," Hagrid croaked.

Alicia moved and pulled her head out of sight as Macnair's face appeared at Hagrid's window, staring out at Buckbeak. Then they heard Fudge.

"We — er — have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, you're supposed to listen too, that's procedure —" Macnair's face vanished from the window. It was now or never.

"Harry," Alicia muttered to him. He nodded

"Wait here," Harry whispered to Hermione.

As Fudge's voice started again Alicia and Harry darted out from behind the trees, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch, and approached Buckbeak.

Alicia went straight to Buckbeak and patted his beak as the hippogriff trusted her as much as Hagrid.

" _It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall be executed on the sixth of June at sundown —_ "

Careful not to blink, Harry stared up into Buckbeak's fierce orange eyes once more and bowed. Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees and then stood up again. Harry began to fumble with the knot of rope tying Buckbeak to the fence as Alicia glanced at the hut, keeping Buckbeak entertained and more importantly quiet.

"… _sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair…_ "

"Come on, Buckbeak," Harry murmured, "come on, we're going to help you. Quietly… quietly…"

"Hurry up and let's just move." Alicia muttered.

"… _as witnessed below._ Hagrid, you sign here…"

Harry threw all his weight onto the rope, but Buckbeak had dug in his front feet.

"Well, let's get this over with," said the reedy voice of the Committee member from inside Hagrid's cabin. "Hagrid, perhaps it will be better if you stay inside —"

"No, I — I wan' ter be with him… I don' wan' him ter be alone —"

Footsteps echoed from within the cabin.

" _Buckbeak, move_!" Harry hissed.

Alicia began to panic and grabbed Buckeaks collar, pulling on it fiercely to help Harry.  
Harry tugged harder on the rope around Buckbeak's neck. The hippogriff began to walk, rustling its wings irritably. They were still ten feet away from the forest, in plain view of Hagrid's back door.

"One moment, please, Macnair," came Dumbledore's voice. "You need to sign too." The footsteps stopped. Harry heaved on the rope and Alicia on the collar. Buckbeak snapped his beak and walked a little faster. Hermione's white face was sticking out from behind a tree.

"Alicia! Harry, hurry!" she mouthed.

Harry could still hear Dumbledore's voice talking from within the cabin. Alicia and Harry shared a look and nodded, they both counted to three, mouthing the words and gave the rope another wrench. Buckbeak broke into a grudging trot. They had reached the trees…

"Quick! Quick!" Hermione moaned, darting out from behind her tree, seizing the rope too and adding her weight to make Buckbeak move faster. Harry looked over his shoulder; they were now blocked from sight; they couldn't see Hagrid's garden at all.

"Bloody hell Beaky." Alicia muttered as she patted his beak and stroked his feathers

"Stop!" Harry whispered to girls. "They might hear us —"

Hagrid's back door had opened with a bang. Harry, Alicia, Hermione, and Buckbeak stood quite still; even the hippogriff seemed to be listening intently.

Silence… then —

"Where is it?" said the reedy voice of the Committee member. "Where is the beast?"

"It was tied here!" said the executioner furiously. "I saw it! Just here!"

"How extraordinary," said Dumbledore. There was a note of amusement in his voice and Alicia had a strange feeling he knew they'd already saved him…

"Beaky!" said Hagrid huskily.

There was a swishing noise, and the thud of an axe. The executioner seemed to have swung it into the fence in anger. And then came the howling, and this time they could hear Hagrid's words through his sobs.

"Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's _gone_! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"

"To think we started crying over nothing." Alicia said to Hermione who looked a lot happier.

Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to Hagrid. Harry and Hermione tightened their grip and dug their heels into the forest floor to stop him.

"Someone untied him!" the executioner was snarling. "We should search the grounds, the forest —"

"Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?" said Dumbledore, still sounding amused. "Search the skies, if you will… Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy."

"O' — o' course, Professor," said Hagrid, who sounded weak with happiness. "Come in, come in…"

Harry and Hermione listened closely. They heard footsteps, the soft cursing of the executioner, the snap of the door, and then silence once more.

"Now what?" whispered Harry, looking around.

"We'll have to hide in here," said Hermione, who looked very shaken. "We need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window. He won't be there for another couple of hours… Oh, this is going to be difficult…"

"The mind is a positive thing, Hermione. Think positive." Alicia said with a heavy sigh.

She looked nervously over her shoulder into the depths of the forest. The sun was setting now.

"We're going to have to move," said Harry, thinking hard. "We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on."

"Okay," said Hermione, getting a firmer grip on Buckbeak's rope. "But we've got to keep out of sight, Harry, remember…"

"Calm down Hermione, we know."

They moved around the edge of the forest, darkness falling thickly around them, until they were hidden behind a clump of trees through which they could make out the Willow.

"There's Ron… and you…!" said Harry suddenly as he looked at Alicia.

The two figures sprinted across the lawn and Ron's shout echoed through the still night air.

"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come _here_ —"

And then they saw two more figures materialise out of nowhere. Harry watched himself and Hermione chasing after Alicia and Ron. Then they saw Ron dive.

" _Gotcha_! Get off, you stinking cat —"

"There's Sirius!" said Harry. The great shape of the dog had bounded out from the roots of the Willow. They saw him bowl Harry over, then seize Ron…

"Looks even worse from here, doesn't it?" said Harry, watching the dog pulling Ron into the roots. "Ouch — look, I just got walloped by the tree — and so did you two — this is _weird_ —"

The Whomping Willow was creaking and lashing out with its lower branches; they could see themselves darting here and there, trying to reach the trunk. And then the tree froze.

"That was Crookshanks pressing the knot," said Hermione.

"And there we go…" Harry muttered. "We're in."

"And now we wait." Alicia muttered

The moment they disappeared, the tree began to move again.

Seconds later, they heard footsteps quite close by. Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge, and the old Committee member were making their way up to the castle.

"Right after we'd gone down into the passage!" said Hermione. "If _only_ Dumbledore had come with us…"

"We'd have a lot of explaining to do." Alicia muttered

"Macnair and Fudge would've come too," said Harry bitterly. "I bet you anything Fudge would've told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot…"

They watched the four men climb the castle steps and disappear from view. For a few minutes the scene was deserted. Then —

"Here comes Lupin!" said Harry as they saw another figure sprinting down the stone steps and haring toward the Willow. Harry looked up at the sky. Clouds were obscuring the moon completely.

They watched Lupin seize a broken branch from the ground and prod the knot on the trunk. The tree stopped fighting, and Lupin, too, disappeared into the gap in its roots.

"If he'd only grabbed the cloak," said Harry. "It's just lying there…"

He turned to Hermione.

"If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape'd never be able to get it and —"

"Harry, we mustn't be seen!"

"If you'd grabbed the cloak now, Snape never would have used it when we were in the shack." Alicia admitted "Everything we do now, had an influence earlier too. We heard the axe swing and Hagrid cry but never saw that Buckbeak had already gone as we wouldn't turn around. If you grabbed the clock now, then when we were in the shrieking shack, Snape wouldn't have used it at all."

Harry let out a sigh.

"It's complicated but you can't change that."

"How can you stand this?" he asked Alicia and Hermione fiercely. "Just standing here and watching it happen?" He hesitated. "I'm going to grab the cloak!"

"Harry, _no_!"

Hermione seized the back of Harry's robes not a moment too soon. Just then, they heard a burst of song. It was Hagrid, making his way up to the castle, singing at the top of his voice, and weaving slightly as he walked. A large bottle was swinging from his hands.

" _See_?" Hermione whispered. " _See what would have happened_? We've got to keep out of sight! _No, Buckbeak_!"

The hippogriff was making frantic attempts to get to Hagrid again; Alicia and Harry seized the rope too, straining to hold Buckbeak back. They watched Hagrid meander tipsily up to the castle. He was gone. Buckbeak stopped fighting to get away. His head drooped sadly.

Barely two minutes later, the castle doors flew open yet again, and Snape came charging out of them, running toward the Willow.

Harry's fists clenched as they watched Snape skid to a halt next to the tree, looking around. He grabbed the cloak and held it up.

"Get your filthy hands off it," Harry snarled under his breath.

Alicia hit him.

"Shh!"

Snape seized the branch Lupin had used to freeze the tree, prodded the knot, and vanished from view as he put on the cloak.

"So that's it," said Hermione quietly. "We're all down there… and now we've just got to wait until we come back up again…" She took the end of Buckbeak's rope and tied it securely around the nearest tree, then sat down on the dry ground, arms around her knees.

"Harry, there's something I don't understand… Why didn't the dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out… there were so many of them…"

Alicia and Harry shared a look before sitting down on either side of Hermione.

Both of them explained what they'd seen; how, as the nearest dementor had lowered its mouth to Harry's, two large silver somethings had come, one galloping across the lake, the other flying over head and forced the dementors to retreat.

Hermione's mouth was slightly open by the time Harry had finished.

"But what was it?"

"There's only one thing it could have been, to make the dementors go," said Harry. "A real Patronus. A powerful one."

"It takes the shape of something. Apparently they're all different for everyone, kind of reflects you from within." Alicia muttered

"Alicia's is an owl." Harry pointed and Hermione looked at her surprised. The girl shrugged.

"Smart, wise and graceful." she grinned

"But who conjured them?"

Neither of them said anything. Alicia didn't know what Harry saw then, but she knew what she saw, and now, it made sense. Now that they were sitting here, watching themselves… those green eyes were flashing through her mind.

"Didn't you see what they looked like?" said Hermione eagerly. "Was it one of the teachers?"

"No," said Harry and Alicia

"He wasn't a teacher."

"But it must have been a really powerful wizard, to drive all those dementors away… If the Patronus' were shining so brightly, didn't it light him up? Couldn't you see — ?"

"Yeah, I saw them," said Harry slowly. "But… maybe I imagined it… I wasn't thinking straight… I passed out right afterward…"

He looked at Alicia but she was staring at the Whomping Willow.

" _Who did you think it was?_ "

"I think —" Harry swallowed, knowing how strange this was going to sound. "I think it was my mom and dad."

Alicia turned to him surprised before she turned away. She smiled slightly.

Harry glanced up at Hermione and saw that her mouth was fully open now. She was gazing at him with a mixture of alarm and pity.

"Harry, your dad's — well — _dead,_ " she said quietly.

"I know that," said Harry quickly.

"You think you saw their ghosts?"

"I don't know… no… they looked solid…"

"But then —"

"Maybe I was seeing things," said Harry. "But… from what I could see… it looked like him… I've got photos of him…" Hermione was still looking at him as though worried about his sanity.

"I know it sounds crazy," said Harry flatly.

"What do you think Alicia?" Hermione asked, she turned to the two and Harry looked hopeful.

"I don't think it was our parents." Alicia admitted "But two people, similar…"

"Who?" Harry asked

"What's your brain telling you Alicia?" Hermione wondered

"Well, it was someone watching us obviously, standing there saving us, and no one else was on the ground but us, Sirius, Lupin, Snape, Ron and Wormtail." Alicia said with a sigh "That's what I first thought."

"First?" Harry asked

"Well there are three more people on the grounds at the moment aren't there?" Alicia said "We already interfered and saved Buckbeak, we're planning on saving Sirius. Who's to say Harry, that we weren't the ones who conjured the patronus'?" Alicia wondered and they both looked at her.

"One of the things I worked out was that dad was nicknamed Prongs. Prongs are antlers on a stag." she confessed "And one of those patronus' did look something like a deer. You're just like him Harry, everyone says so, who's to say your patronus wont be the same as dad? A bit of him that came through you?" Harry turned away as though thinking "We both know my Patronus is an owl and there was one of them flying over the top of us."

Alicia sighed and turned away from him.

"It's just a theory anyway."

The leaves overhead rustled faintly in the breeze. The moon drifted in and out of sight behind the shifting clouds. Hermione sat with her face turned toward the Willow, waiting.

And then, at last, after over an hour…

"Here we come!" Hermione whispered.

She and Harry got to their feet. Buckbeak raised his head. They saw Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron clambering awkwardly out of the hole in the roots… followed by the unconscious Snape, drifting weirdly upward. Next came Alicia, Harry, Hermione, and Black. They all began to walk toward the castle.

Harry's heart was starting to beat very fast. He glanced up at the sky. Any moment now, that cloud was going to move aside and show the moon…

"Harry," Hermione muttered as though she knew exactly what he was thinking, "we've got to stay put. We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do…"

"So we're just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again…" said Harry quietly.

"How do you expect to find a rat in the dark?" snapped Hermione. "There's nothing we can do! We came back to help Sirius; we're not supposed to be doing anything else!"

" _All right!_ "

The moon slid out from behind its cloud. They saw the tiny figures across the grounds stop. Then they saw movement —

"There goes Lupin," Hermione whispered. "He's transforming —"

Alicia's eyes widened and she looked around at where they were.

"Harry…" she said urgently, but he already understood.

"Hermione!" said Harry suddenly. "We've got to move!"

"We mustn't, I keep telling you —"

"Not to interfere! Lupin's going to run into the forest, right at us!"

"You want a face to face with a werewolf?" Alicia hissed

Hermione gasped.

"Quick!" she moaned, dashing to untie Buckbeak. "Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The dementors will be coming any moment —"

"Crap…" Alicia whined

"Back to Hagrid's!" Harry said. "It's empty now — come on!"

They ran as fast as they could, Buckbeak cantering along behind them. They could hear the werewolf howling behind them…

The cabin was in sight; Harry skidded to the door, wrenched it open, and Alicia, Hermione and Buckbeak flashed past him; Harry threw himself in after them and bolted the door. Fang the boarhound barked loudly.

"Shh, Fang, it's us!" said Hermione, hurrying over and scratching his ears to quieten him. "That was really close!" she said to Harry.

"Yeah…"

Harry was looking out of the window. It was much harder to see what was going on from here. Buckbeak seemed very happy to find himself back inside Hagrid's house. He lay down in front of the fire, folded his wings contentedly, and seemed ready for a good nap.

"I think I'd better go outside again, you know," said Harry slowly. "I can't see what's going on — we won't know when it's time —"

Hermione looked up. Her expression was suspicious.

"Hermione!" Alicia snapped at her "Harry I'll come, keep someone happy." she pointed to Hermione.

"I'm not going to try and interfere," Harry assured her. "But if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius?"

"Well… okay, then… I'll wait here with Buckbeak… but Harry, Alicia, be careful — there's a werewolf out there — and the dementors —"

"We'll be fine." Alicia assured her.

She looked at Harry and then, the two stepped outside again and edged around the cabin. Alicia could hear yelping in the distance. That meant the dementors were closing in on Sirius.… She, Harry and Hermione would running after him any moment…

Alicia hated being so far away.

"Come on." she said

"But… Hermione…" Harry began

"We're not going to be seen." Alicia rolled her eyes

"…We're going to do the seeing…" Harry muttered to which Alicia grinned and nodded.

The dementors were emerging out of the darkness from every direction, gliding around the edges of the lake… They were moving away from where Alicia and Harry stood, to the opposite bank…

Alicia grabbed Harry's arm and began to run. He didn't bother resisting. She knew what he was thinking and hoped he wouldn't get too upset when their dad didn't turn up. She knows she saw herself, the owl and the green eyes were proof of that, add someone who looked like her dad, or as Alicia thought, like Harry, and it had to be the two of them. Plus, here they were now running along the edge of the forest right to the spot.

The lake was coming nearer and nearer, but there was no sign of anybody. On the opposite bank, Alicia could see her feeble attempt at a patronus thanks to the screaming in her ears and the fog over her eyes, Harry's tiny glimmers of silver joining it.

There was a bush at the very edge of the water. Harry threw himself behind it and pulled Alicia down with him. He peered desperately through the leaves.

On the opposite bank, the glimmers of silver were suddenly extinguished. A terrified excitement shot through Harry

"Come on!" he muttered, staring about. "Where are you? Dad, come on —"

"Harry, it wasn't dad." Alicia said.

One of the dementors was lowering its hood. It was time for the rescuer to appear — but no one was coming to help this time. Alicia watched Harry before she ground her teeth and stood up, walking to the edge of the lake. She held out her wand.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" but her voice isn't the only one that sounded. She turned and saw Harry next to her, his wand out.  
Alicia grinned as, out of the end of both their wands burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but blinding, dazzling, silver animals.

Alicia smiled as the owl soured over head and Harry's stag, just like she'd thought, galloped silently away from them, across the black surface of the lake. They saw the stag lower its head and charge at the swarming dementors, the owl swooping down on them all… They both circled the black shapes, the stag on the ground, the owl in the air, and the dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness… They were gone.

The Patronus' turned.

Alicia's landed on her shoulder and she stroked it. It looked a lot like Noel but white, or Hedwig. The stag was cantering back toward Harry across the still surface of the water.

It stopped on the bank. Its hooves made no mark on the soft ground as it stared at Harry with its large, silver eyes. Slowly, it bowed its antlered head.

" _Prongs_ ," he whispered.

"Told you." Alicia smiled.

And then, the two silver animals vanished.

Harry stood there, hand still outstretched. Then, with a great leap of his heart, he heard hooves behind him — he whirled around and saw Hermione dashing toward him, dragging Buckbeak behind her.

" _What did you do_?" she said fiercely. "You said you were only going to keep a lookout!"

Alicia laughed.

"Since when do we actually just watch?" she asked

"Alicia and I just saved all our lives…" said Harry. "Get behind here — behind this bush — I'll explain."

Hermione listened to what had just happened with her mouth open yet again.

"Did anyone see you?"

"Yes, haven't you been listening? _I_ saw me but I thought I was my dad! It's okay!"

"I saw us both but I knew about the Time-Turner so it's fine." Alicia shrugged "Plus my eyes were fogged over so…"

"Harry, I can't believe it… You _both_ conjured up a Patronus that drove away all those dementors! That's very, _very_ advanced magic…"

"I know!" Alicia said giddily.

"I knew I could do it this time," said Harry, "because I'd already done it… Does that make sense?"

"I don't know — Alicia, Harry, look at Snape!"

Together they peered around the bush at the other bank. Snape had regained consciousness. He was conjuring stretchers and lifting the limp forms of Harry, Alicia, Hermione, and Black onto them. A fifth stretcher, no doubt bearing Ron, was already floating at his side. Then, wand held out in front of him, he moved them away toward the castle.

Alicia looked at her watch.

"Wow, we weren't out for very long." she admitted surprised.

"Right, it's nearly time," said Hermione tensely, looking at her own watch. "We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realises we're missing…"

"Piece of cake." Alicia grinned.

They waited, watching the moving clouds reflected in the lake, while the bush next to them whispered in the breeze. Buckbeak, bored, was ferreting for worms again.

"D'you reckon he's up there yet?" said Harry, checking his watch. He looked up at the castle and Alicia watched as his lips moved, he'd began counting the windows to the right of the West Tower.

"Look!" Hermione whispered. "Who's that? Someone's coming back out of the castle!"

They stared through the darkness. The man was hurrying across the grounds, toward one of the entrances. Something shiny glinted in his belt.

"Macnair!" said Harry. "The executioner! He's gone to get the dementors! This is it, Hermione —"

"Now or never." Alicia muttered. She stood up and moved over to Beaky. She patted him and made him comfortable before she jumped and hoisted herself onto Buckbeak's back first.

"Who wants to sit in front?" Alicia grinned

"You can…" Harry muttered, remembering the last time.

Alicia held out her forearm and Hermione clung to her elbow before Harry gave her a leg up and Alicia pulled. Alicia then did the same with Harry who put his foot on one of the lower branches of the bush and climbed up in front of Hermione but behind Alicia.

Alicia pulled Buckbeak's rope back over his neck and tied it to the other side of his collar like reins.

"Ready?" Alicia asked. Harry wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You'd better hold on to me —" he said to Hermione.

"If your scared of slipping clutch with your knees." Alicia said "But not too tightly or it'll make him go faster." she smirked.

"Ready Beaky," And Alicia nudged Buckbeak's sides with her heels.

Buckbeak soared straight into the dark air. Alicia gripped his flanks with her knees, feeling the great wings rising powerfully beneath them. Harry was holding very tightly to Alicia and she assumed Hermione was doing the same to Harry as she could hear her muttering;

"Oh, no — I don't like this — oh, I _really_ don't like this —"

"Never putting you on a broom are we." Alicia huffed. "Harry, which window?" she asked as she urged Buckbeak forward. They were gliding quietly toward the upper floors of the castle… Alicia pulled hard on the left-hand side of the rope, and Buckbeak turned.

"Uh…" he said as he counted the windows as they went by. "Stop!"

"Whoa!" Alicia pulling backward as hard as she could.

Buckbeak slowed down and they found themselves at a stop, unless you counted the fact that they kept rising up and down several feet as the hippogriff beat his wings to remain airborne.

"He's there!" Harry said, spotting Sirius as they rose up beside the window. He reached out, and as Buckbeak's wings fell, was able to tap sharply on the glass.

Sirius looked up and Alicia grinned with a wave. She couldn't help but chuckle slightly as Sirius' jaw dropped. He leapt from his chair, hurried to the window and tried to open it, but it was locked.

"Hermione," Alicia said

"Stand back!" Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand, still gripping the back of Harry's robes with her left hand.

" _Alohomora_!"

The window sprang open.

"How — how — ?" said Black weakly, staring at the hippogriff.

"Get on — there's not much time," said Harry,

"I wonder will we all fit?" Alicia wondered suddenly, looking concerned.

"You've got to get out of here — the dementors are coming — Macnair's gone to get them."

Sirius placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin. In seconds, he had managed to fling one leg over Buckbeak's back and pull himself onto the hippogriff behind Hermione.

"Are we all on and okay?" Alicia asked

"I might fall off." Sirius admitted

"Well, I promise not to let go if no one else does." Alicia smirked. "Where now?"

"The tower." Harry pointed.

"Okay, Buckbeak, up!" she hugged again with her heels. "Up to the tower — come on!"

The hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and they were soaring upward again, high as the top of the West Tower. Buckbeak landed with a clatter on the battlements, and Harry and Hermione slid off him at once. Alicia however turned around and hugged Sirius, who seemed very surprised by the action. She then released him and jumped down, patting the hippogriff.

"You be good now." she said softly "You brave boy."

"Sirius, you'd better go, quick," Harry panted. "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you're gone."

Buckbeak pawed the ground, tossing his sharp head.

"What happened to the other boy? Ron?" croaked Sirius.

"He's going to be okay. He's still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she'll be able to make him better."

"He wont hold it against you." Alicia assured

"Quick — go —"

But Black was still staring down at Harry.

"How can I ever thank —"

"GO!" Alicia, Harry and Hermione shouted together.

Black wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky.

"We'll see each other again," he said. "You are — truly your your parents children, Alicia, Harry…"

Alicia grinned as Sirius squeezed Buckbeak's sides with his heels and she, Harry and Hermione jumped back as the enormous wings rose once more… The hippogriff took off into the air… He and his rider became smaller and smaller as they gazed after them… then a cloud drifted across the moon… They were gone.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

"Harry! Alicia!" Hermione pulled on Harry's sleeve as Alicia turned to her "We've got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us — before Dumbledore locks the door —"

"Shit!" and Alicia slipped through the doorway first, Harry and Hermione behind her. As they reached the bottom of spiralling stone staircase, they heard voices. They flattened themselves against the wall and listened. It sounded like Fudge and Snape. They were walking quickly along the corridor at the foot of the staircase.

"… only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties," Snape was saying. "The Kiss will be performed immediately?"

"As soon as Macnair returns with the dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the _Daily Prophet_ that we've got him at last…" Alicia smirked, imagining Fudges expression when they found Sirius gone "I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape… and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the _Prophet_ exactly how you saved him…"

Harry clenched his teeth and Alicia pulled a face. They caught a glimpse of Snape's smirk as he and Fudge passed Alicia, Harry and Hermione's hiding place. Their footsteps died away. The three waited a few moments to make sure they'd really gone, then started to run in the opposite direction. Down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor — then they heard a cackling ahead.

" _Peeves_!" Harry muttered, grabbing Hermione's wrist. "In here!" Hermione grabbed Alicia as she was dragging away.

They tore into a deserted classroom to their left just in time. Peeves seemed to be bouncing along the corridor in boisterous good spirits, laughing his head off.

"Oh, he's horrible," whispered Hermione, her ear to the door. "I bet he's all excited because the dementors are going to finish off Sirius…" She checked her watch. "Three minutes, Harry!"

"I don't understand how we can need more time when we've just redone three hours." Alicia hissed annoyed.

They waited until Peeves's gloating voice had faded into the distance, then slid back out of the room and broke into a run again.

"Hermione — what'll happen — if we don't get back inside — before Dumbledore locks the door?" Harry panted.

"I don't want to think about it!" Hermione moaned, checking her watch again.

"We get locked out and Madam Pomfrey gets very confused as to how we ended up outside." Alicia panted

"One minute!" Hermione said

They had reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. "Okay — I can hear Dumbledore," said Hermione tensely. "Come on, Harry!"

They crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore's back appeared.

"I am going to lock you in," they heard him saying. "It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Evans, Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, Alicia, Harry and Hermione ran forward. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver moustache.

"Hey." Alicia waved

"Well?" he said quietly.

"We did it!" said Harry breathlessly. "Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak…"

"And not a single person saw us do it." Alicia smiled

Dumbledore beamed at them.

"Well done. I think —" He listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. "Yes, I think you've gone too — get inside — I'll lock you in —"

Alicia, Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory. It was empty except for Ron, who was still lying motionless in the end bed. As the lock clicked behind them, the three crept back to their own beds. A moment later, Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office.

"Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?"

"Yes Madam Pomfrey, could I have some chocolate?" Alicia wondered. Naturally she gave all three of them a giant piece before she stood over them, making sure they ate it.

Alicia kept glancing at the door with a grin. She wasn't the only one, Harry and Hermione were waiting, listening… And then, as they both took a fourth piece of chocolate from Madam Pomfrey, they heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above them…

"What was that?" said Madam Pomfrey in alarm.

Alicia was trying to hold in her laughter as she covered her moth to hide the smile.

Now they could hear angry voices, growing louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey was staring at the door.

"Really — they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?"

Alicia was trying to hear what the voices were saying, she took several deep breaths and then calmed herself down as the voices drew nearer.

"He must have Disapparated, Severus. We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out —"

"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!" Snape roared, now very close at hand. "YOU CAN'T APPARATE _OR_ DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS — HAS — SOMETHING — TO — DO — WITH — POTTER!"

"Severus — be reasonable — Harry has been locked up —" BAM.

The door of the hospital wing burst open.

Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward.

Dumbledore alone looked calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself, just like Alicia felt. Fudge appeared angry. But Snape was beside himself.

"OUT WITH IT, POTTER!" he bellowed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Pardon?" Alicia asked, furrowing her eyebrows to look confused

"Professor Snape!" shrieked Madam Pomfrey. "Control yourself!"

"See here, Snape, be reasonable," said Fudge. "This door's been locked, we just saw —"

"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" Snape howled, pointing at Alicia, Harry and Hermione. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth.

"Calm down, man!" Fudge barked. "You're talking nonsense!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!" shrieked Snape. "HE DID IT, I KNOW HE DID IT —"

Alicia calmly bit a piece of chocolate.

"What happened?" she asked

"YOU KNOW WHAT! YOU DID THIS! DIDN'T YOU?! YOU AND YOU'RE BROTHER KNOW IT ALL!" Snape shouted at her. She just continued to look confused

"That will do, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"

"Of course not!" said Madam Pomfrey, bristling. "I would have heard them!"

"Well, there you have it, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "Unless you are suggesting that Alicia, Harry and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."

Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge, who looked thoroughly shocked at his behaviour, to Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling behind his glasses. Snape whirled about, robes swishing behind him, and stormed out of the ward.

"Fellow seems quite unbalanced," said Fudge, staring after him. "I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore."

"Oh, he's not unbalanced," said Dumbledore quietly. "He's just suffered a severe disappointment."

"He's not the only one!" puffed Fudge. "The _Daily Prophet's_ going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock! Well… I'd better go and notify the Ministry…"

"And the dementors?" said Dumbledore. "They'll be removed from the school, I trust?"

"Oh yes, they'll have to go," said Fudge, running his fingers distractedly through his hair. "Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent boy… Completely out of control… no, I'll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight… Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance…"

"Hagrid would like that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Alicia, Harry and Hermione. As he and Fudge left the dormitory, Madam Pomfrey hurried to the door and locked it again. Muttering angrily to herself, she headed back to her office.

Alicia however bursted out laughing.

"Did you see his face!?" she panted happily as she rolled around clutching her stomach on her bed.

There was a low moan from the other end of the ward and Alicia stopped looking up. Ron had woken up. They could see him sitting up, rubbing his head, looking around.

"What — what happened?" he groaned. "Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?"

Alicia, Harry and Hermione looked at each other.

"You two explain," said Harry, helping himself to some more chocolate. So Alicia moved to the end of Ron's bed, being careful of his leg, and told him everything that happened since Peter knocked him out.

* * *

When Harry, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon the next day, it was to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering heat and the end of the exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmeade visit. Neither Ron nor Hermione felt like going, however, so they, Alicia and Harry wandered onto the grounds, still talking about the extraordinary events of the previous night and wondering where Sirius and Buckbeak were now. Sitting near the lake, watching the giant squid waving its tentacles lazily above the water.

Alicia wasn't listening she was lying on the grass, glad to know she had a family member out there, other then Harry. A suspected, innocent murderer but… someone none the less.

A shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his table-cloth-sized handkerchiefs and beaming down at them.

"Know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' night," he said. "I mean, Black escapin' again, an' everythin' — but guess what?"

"What?" they said, pretending to look curious.

"Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!"

"That's wonderful!" said Hermione, giving Ron a reproving look because he looked as though he was close to laughing, Alicia was grinning and high-fifed Ron subtly.

"Yeah… can't've tied him up properly," said Hagrid, gazing happily out over the grounds. "I was worried this mornin', mind… thought he mighta met Professor Lupin on the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night…"

"What?" said Harry quickly.

"Blimey, haven' yeh heard?" said Hagrid, his smile fading a little. He lowered his voice, even though there was nobody in sight. "Er — Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'… Thought everyone'd know by now… Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see."

"Snape what!?" Alicia's voice was so loud that the giant squid vanished from sight in surprise. She was on her feet in anger.

"Yeh, an' he was loose on the grounds las' night… He's packin' now, o' course."

"He's _packing_?" said Harry, alarmed. "Why?"

"Leavin', isn' he?" said Hagrid, looking surprised that Harry had to ask. "Resigned firs' thing this mornin'. Says he can't risk it happenin' again."

"Harry…" Alicia began but he was already scrambling to his feet.

"We're going to see him," he said to Ron and Hermione.

"But if he's resigned —"

"— doesn't sound like there's anything we can do —"

"I don't care."

"I still need to talk to him." Alicia said

"I still want to see him." Harry nodded "We'll meet you back here."

* * *

Lupin's office door was open. He had already packed most of his things. The grindylow's empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk and looked up only when Harry knocked on the door.

"I saw you two coming," said Lupin, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder's Map.

"We just saw Hagrid," said Harry. "And he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?"

"I'm afraid it is," said Lupin. He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents.

" _Why_?" said Harry. But Alicia was frowning, she knew why, Snape let it slip and soon parents would know. Dumbledore said people don't like werewolves… "The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?"

Lupin crossed to the door and closed it behind Harry.

"No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives." He sighed. "That was the final straw for Severus. I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. So he — er — _accidentally_ let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast."

"You're not leaving just because of that!" said Harry.

"He is." Alicia muttered with a frown as Lupin smiled wryly.

"This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents… They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Harry. And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you… That must never happen again."

"You're the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" said Harry. "Don't go!"

"Or ever will have! You can't last a year like the others!" Alicia said.

Lupin shook his head and didn't speak. He carried on emptying his drawers. Then, while Harry was trying to think of a good argument to make him stay, Lupin said,

"From what the headmaster told me this morning, you two saved a lot of lives last night, Alicia, Harry. If I'm proud of anything I've done this year, it's how much you've learned… Tell me about your Patronus'."

"How d'you know about that?" said Harry, distracted.

"What else could have driven the dementors back?"

So the twins told Lupin what had happened. When he'd finished, Lupin was smiling again.

"Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed," he said. "As Alicia said… that's why we called him Prongs." Lupin threw his last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers, and turned to look at Harry.

"Here — I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night," he said, handing Harry back the Invisibility Cloak. "And…" He hesitated, then held out the Marauder's Map too. "I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving you back this as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you two, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it."

"Really!?" Alicia asked excitedly

Harry took the map and grinned.

"You told me Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs would've wanted to lure me out of school… you said they'd have thought it was funny."

"And so we would have," said Lupin, now reaching down to close his case. "I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son at least had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle."

"Or if we never got into mischief at all." Alicia smirked

"Alicia Lily believed would be the sensible one." Lupin added

"And she was right." Alicia said proudly, to which Harry raised an eyebrow "Don't look at me like that, it's true." she crossed her arms

There was a knock on the door. Harry hastily stuffed the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak into his pocket.

It was Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised to see Alicia or Harry there.

"Your carriage is at the gates, Remus," he said.

"Thank you, Headmaster."

Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty grindylow tank. "Well — good-bye, Harry, good-bye Alicia," he said, smiling. "It has been a real pleasure teaching you both. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage…"

It seemed that Lupin wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

"Good-bye, then, Remus," said Dumbledore soberly. Lupin shifted the grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Harry and Alicia and a swift smile, Lupin left the office.

Harry sat down in his vacated chair, staring glumly at the floor. Alicia sighed, to think she could have spent most of next year finding out about all the things her dad got up to and to how their parents met. Now Sirius was in the wind and who knew were Lupin was going. She heard the door close and looked up. Dumbledore was still there.

"Why so miserable, Harry?" he said quietly. "You should both be very proud of yourself after last night."

"I am." Alicia sighed "Still a little disappointed about some things though…" she muttered

"It didn't make any difference," said Harry bitterly. "Pettigrew got away."

"Didn't make any difference?" said Dumbledore quietly. "It made all the difference in the world, Harry. You helped uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate."

Harry's face was suddenly shocked and Alicia looked at him confused.

"Professor Dumbledore — yesterday, when I was having my Divination exam, Professor Trelawney went very — very strange."

"Indeed?" said Dumbledore. "Er — stranger than usual, you mean?"

"Yes… her voice went all deep and her eyes rolled and she said… she said Voldemort's servant was going to set out to return to him before midnight… She said the servant would help him come back to power." Harry stared up at Dumbledore. "And then she sort of became normal again, and she couldn't remember anything she'd said. Was it — was she making a real prediction?"

"A real prediction?" Alicia asked confused and looking between the headmaster and her brother.

Dumbledore looked mildly impressed.

"Do you know, Harry, I think she might have been," he said thoughtfully. "Who'd have thought it? That brings her total of real predictions up to two. I should offer her a pay raise…"

"Two?" Alicia asked "What's the other one?" she was excited now.

"But —" Harry looked at him, aghast. "But — I stopped Sirius and Professor Lupin from killing Pettigrew! That makes it my fault if Voldemort comes back!"

Alicia's excitement was gone… Voldemort back?

She shivered.

"It does not," said Dumbledore quietly. "Hasn't your experience with the Time-Turner taught you anything, Harry? The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed… Professor Trelawney, bless her, is living proof of that… You did a very noble thing, in saving Pettigrew's life."

"But if he helps Voldemort back to power— !"

"Harry don't take all the credit, I helped." Alicia admitted, her hands on her hips.

"And for that, Pettigrew owes his life to you both. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt… When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them… and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter."

"I don't want a connection with Pettigrew!" said Harry. "He betrayed our parents!"

"This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me… the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life."

Alicia raised an eyebrow in doubt but, Dumbledore was a smart wise man so who knows.

"I knew your father very well, both at Hogwarts and later, Harry," he said gently. "He would have saved Pettigrew too, I am sure of it."

Alicia smiled slightly, Harry was turning out more and more like their father apparently.

"I thought it was my dad who'd conjured my Patronus. I mean, when I saw myself across the lake … I thought I was seeing him."

"An easy mistake to make," said Dumbledore softly. "I expect you'll tire of hearing it, but you do look _extraordinarily_ like James. Except for the eyes… you have your mother's eyes. Alicia however looks _exactly_ like your mother, but with James' hair. It is _amazing_ how much like them you _both_ are."

"I don't think I'll tire of it." Alicia smiled, the thought of having something so close to her parents was welcoming.

"It was stupid, thinking it was him," he muttered. "I mean, I knew he was dead."

"You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him. How else could you produce that _particular_ Patronus? Prongs rode again last night."

Alicia looked at him surprised

"Hang on, you're not supposed to know?" she said

"Last night Sirius told me all about how they became Animagi," said Dumbledore, smiling. "An extraordinary achievement — not least, keeping it quiet from me. And then I remembered the most unusual form your Patronus took, when it charged Mr. Malfoy down at your Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. You know, Harry, in a way, you did see your father last night… You found him inside yourself."

Harry looked at Alicia.

"Yes I do think I said that." she smiled.

* * *

Nobody at Hogwarts now knew the truth of what had happened the night that Sirius, Buckbeak, and Pettigrew had vanished except Harry, Alicia, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore. As the end of term approached, they heard many different theories about what had really happened, but none of them came close to the truth.

Malfoy was furious about Buckbeak. He was convinced that Hagrid had found a way of smuggling the hippogriff to safety, and seemed outraged that he and his father had been outwitted by a gamekeeper. Percy Weasley, meanwhile, had much to say on the subject of Sirius's escape.

"If I manage to get into the Ministry, I'll have a lot of proposals to make about Magical Law Enforcement!" he told the only person who would listen — his girlfriend, Penelope.

Though the weather was perfect, though the atmosphere was so cheerful, though she knew he knew they had achieved the near impossible in helping Sirius to freedom, Harry seemed in worse spirits then usual for the end of the year. Alicia didn't blame him, the fact that she was going back to the orphanage and not to a house with Harry and Sirius was bringing her mood down too.

Of course, they certainly weren't the only one who was sorry to see Professor Lupin go. The whole of their Defence Against the Dark Arts class was miserable about his resignation.

"Wonder what they'll give us next year?" said Seamus Finnigan gloomily.

"Maybe a vampire," suggested Dean Thomas hopefully.

The exam results came out on the last day of term. Alicia, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had passed every subject, Alicia and Hermione being rapped with passing so many. Harry was amazed that he had got through Potions which Alicia was also surprised at as Snape's behaviour toward Harry over the past week had been quite alarming. It didn't seem possible that Snape's dislike for Harry could increase, but it certainly had. A muscle twitched unpleasantly at the corner of Snape's thin mouth every time he looked at Harry, and he was constantly flexing his fingers, as though itching to place them around Harry's throat.

Percy had got his top-grade N.E.W.T.s; Fred and George had scraped a handful of O.W.L.s each. Gryffindor House, meanwhile, largely thanks to their spectacular performance in the Quidditch Cup, had won the House championship for the third year running. This meant that the end of term feast took place amid decorations of scarlet and gold, and that the Gryffindor table was the noisiest of the lot, as everybody celebrated.

* * *

As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station the next morning, Alicia and Hermione gave Harry and Ron some surprising news.

"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. We've decided to drop Muggle Studies."

"Finally." Alicia cheered

"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" said Ron.

"I know," sighed Hermione, "but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. Alicia and I have both handed them in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, we can both have a normal schedule again."

"I'm going to miss that little trinket." Alicia said, touching where it had sat on her chest.

"I still can't _believe_ you didn't tell us about it," said Ron grumpily. "We're supposed to be your _friends._ "

"I promised I wouldn't tell _anyone,_ " said Hermione severely. She looked around at Harry, who was watching Hogwarts disappear from view behind a mountain. Two whole months before he'd see it again…

"Oh, cheer up, Harry!" said Hermione sadly.

"I'm okay," said Harry quickly. "Just thinking about the holidays."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about them too," said Ron. "Harry, you've got to come and stay with us. I'll fix it up with Mum and Dad, then I'll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now —"

Alicia bursted out laughing.

"A _telephone,_ Ron," said Hermione. "Honestly, _you_ should take Muggle Studies next year…"

Ron ignored her.

"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it, Harry? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work."

"Can I come too?!" Alicia demanded standing up excitedly

"Sure." Ron nodded.

"Oh my god! A Quidditch World Cup!" Alicia grinned bouncing up and down in her seat next to Harry.

"Yeah… I bet the Dursleys'd be pleased to let me come… especially after what I did to Aunt Marge…"

Alicia snickered.

"Wait until they find out you have a godfather who's a convicted murderer on the run." she beamed "Yes! Leverage!"

Feeling considerably more cheerful, Harry joined Alicia, Ron and Hermione in several games of Exploding Snap, and when the witch with the tea cart arrived, he bought himself a very large lunch, though nothing with chocolate in it.

But it was late in the afternoon before the thing that made him truly happy turned up…

"Harry," said Hermione suddenly, peering over his shoulder. "What's that thing outside your window?"

They all turned to look outside. Something very small and grey was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass.

"That's an owl…" Alicia noticed. Harry stood up for a better look and saw that it was a tiny owl, carrying a letter that was much too big for it. The owl was so small, in fact, that it kept tumbling over in the air, buffeted this way and that in the train's slipstream. Harry quickly pulled down the window, stretched out his arm, and caught it. It felt like a very fluffy Snitch. He brought it carefully inside. The owl dropped its letter onto Harry's seat and began zooming around their compartment, apparently very pleased with itself for accomplishing its task.

"It's so adorable." Alicia cooed. Noel and Hedwig didn't see to agree as Hedwig clicked her beak with a sort of dignified disapproval and Noel eyed the funny creature. Crookshanks sat up in his seat, following the owl with his great yellow eyes. Ron, noticing this, snatched the owl safely out of harm's way.

Harry picked up the letter. It was addressed to him and Alicia. He ripped open the letter,

"It's from Sirius!" he and Alicia chorused.

"What?" said Ron and Hermione excitedly. "Read it aloud!"

 _Dear Harry and Alicia,  
_

 _I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle._

 _I don't know whether they're used to owl post._

 _Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job._

 _I believe the dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted._

 _There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you both the Firebolts —_

"Ha!" said Hermione triumphantly. "See! I _told_ you it was from him!"

"I already knew that Hermione. Smart brain remember." Alicia pointed to her temple.

"Yes, but he hadn't jinxed it, had he?" said Ron. "Ouch!" The tiny owl, now hooting happily in his hand, had nibbled one of his fingers in what it seemed to think was an affectionate way.

 _Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me. I used your names but told them to take the gold from my own Gringotts vault. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather._

 _I would also like to apologise for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you._

 _I am enclosing something else for you both, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable._

 _If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me._

 _I'll write again soon._

 _Sirius_

Harry looked eagerly inside the envelope. There were to other pieces of parchment in there, one with Alicia's name and one with Harry's. Harry handed her one and they both opened the parchments.

 _I, Sirius Black, Alicia Even's godfather, hereby give her permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends._

"Oh my god!" Alicia uttered, too excited to say anything else.

"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!" said Harry happily. He looked back at Sirius's letter.

"Hang on, there's a P.S.…"

 _I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat._

Ron's eyes widened. The minute owl was still hooting excitedly.

"Keep him?" he said uncertainly. He looked closely at the owl for a moment; then, to Alicia's, Harry's and Hermione's great surprise, he held him out for Crookshanks to sniff.

"What do'you reckon?" Ron asked the cat. "Definitely an owl?" Crookshanks purred.

"That's good enough for me," said Ron happily. "He's mine." Alicia laughed.

Harry read and reread the letter from Sirius all the way back into King's Cross station.

Alicia told him he was to keep it, as it was technically their first family letter. And if he was worried the Dursleys would take it, she'd hang on to it.

Alicia made a pledge to herself right there to send several owls to Sirius over summer, to keep him company, but not enough that would get noticed. Having someone, a family member, to write to was exciting.

Harry still had the letter clutched tightly in his hand as he, Alicia, Ron, and Hermione stepped back through the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters. Harry spotted Uncle Vernon at once. He was standing a good distance from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, eyeing them suspiciously, and when Mrs. Weasley hugged both Alicia and Harry in greeting, his worst suspicions about them seemed confirmed.

"I'll call about the World Cup!" Ron yelled after Alicia and Harry as the twins bid him and Hermione good-bye, then the two wheeled the trolleys bearing their trunks and Noel's and Hedwig's cage toward Uncle Vernon and Ms Bane who was also standing near by.

"What's that?" he snarled, staring at the envelope Harry was still clutching in his hand. "If it's another form for me to sign, you've got another —"

"It's not," said Harry cheerfully. "It's a letter from my godfather."

"Godfather?" sputtered Uncle Vernon. "You haven't got a godfather!"

"Oh but we do and you're going to love him." Alicia grinned, not bothering to keep the plurality in her words hidden.

"Yes, I have," said Harry brightly. "He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though… keep up with my news… check if I'm happy…"

"Remember him Vernon, he was on the telly last year and you complained they didn't tell you where he escaped from." Alicia smiled.

And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon's face, Harry and Alicia set off toward the station exit, Hedwig and Noel rattling along in front of him, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.

* * *

 **That's that for the third book. Hopefully the fourth will be up soon. Tell me what you think, I love reviews and tell me of any spelling mistakes.**

 **Till next time.**

 **xx**


	23. Author's Note

**Hey all!**

 **Finally, I have finished the fourth book, Goblet of Fire.**

 **The Next book is _An Unbreakable Bond Infensifies_**

 **I hope you like it!**

 **xx**


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